Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
Through this program, families and individuals of all ages volunteer to study the main branch of the Huron River and its many creeks and streams.
Single day events
These one-day only events require no training or previous knowledge. A trained leader shows participants what to do, and the activities are suitable for everyone, from children to seniors.
Volunteers form small teams and travel to a stream or stretch of river. Depending on the project, they help our experienced researchers collect river creatures, take water samples, or map changes in the river. Volunteers learn to identify bugs and animals that live in the river, figure out what makes a stretch of river healthy or unhealthy, and understand how river ecology works. This program is part of the biggest, longest-running river research project in Michigan, and the information gathered makes a big difference in keeping the Huron River clean and clear.
- River Roundup: Volunteer teams find insects, crayfish and other small river creatures every Fall and Spring.
- Roundup Leader and Collector Training: Volunteers train to lead the teams in the Roundup.
- Insect ID Day: River scientists help volunteers identify the creatures found during the River Roundup event.
- Winter Stonefly Search: In January volunteer teams find stoneflies in healthy streams.
Resources and Results
Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Results: Online Map
Data forms,procedures, and Site Maps
Reports: Go to resource library page and search for “River Roundup” or “Stonefly Search” If you would like to see the raw data, please email Paul Steen (psteen@hrwc.org).