Gaining Knowledge and Gearing Up for the Sampling Season

This past month Monitoring Montana Waters (MMW) citizen-led volunteer groups have been working hard to submit their funding applications and Sampling Analysis Plans (SAPs). Gearing up for the sampling season, these groups share a common interest in protecting our water quality and understanding how it can change from various impacts. The impacts can be displayed as point source and non-point source pollution. 

Point source pollution has a single identifiable source while non-point source pollution that arises from diffuse sources that are difficult to identify. Discharge pipes, sewage treatment plans, or factories are examples of point source pollution. Non-point source pollution can include runoff from agricultural and urban areas, recreation, abandoned mine lands, timber harvest, and other sources. For more information on non-point source pollution, visit the DEQ webpage on non-point source pollution. 

The difficulty of tracking so many sources of pollution that contribute to non-point source pollution creates the intimate opportunity for local communities to monitor their waterways. Through the initiative of MMW groups, local communities can monitor the health of their water, uncover areas for restoration projects, and foster stronger relationships within their community by protecting what we all depend on: water. 

If you are interested in the Monitoring Montana Waters program or curious about how to get involved with your local community, reach out to me at callie.nelson@flbs.umt.edu!