On-the-ground Monitoring Montana Waters Trainings

We trained multiple Monitoring Montana Waters groups throughout the month of May, including Central Montana Resource Council (CMRC), Carbon County Resource Council (CCRC), Flathead Rivers Alliance (FRA), and Thompson Chain of Lakes Stewardship Coalition (TCLSC). Trainings were tailored to each group to provide hands-on learning experiences with completing a Chain of Custody (COC) form, collecting filtered and unfiltered samples, and using a YSI probe. Members of the Central Montana Resource Council also learned how to measure flow using the float method. Ultimately, these trainings support groups in collecting viable data because each group is trained to follow the standard operating procedure for sampling. 

If you are interested in learning more about Monitoring Montana Waters trainings, visit our website at Training | FLBS-UMT or email Callie Nelson at callie.nelson@flbs.umt.edu!

Central Montana Resource Council group being trained by Monitoring Montana Waters on collecting water samples.
Callie Nelson and Paige Weigand instructing two volunteers on how to measure flow in a stream.
Volunteers learning how to collect water monitoring samples for MMW are being trained by Callie Nelson.
Carbon County Resource Volunteers are learning how to collect water monitoring data with a YSI probe.
Carbon County Resource Council volunteers are in a stream practicing collecting water samples.
Callie Nelson instructing Carbon County Resource Council volunteers on how to collect unfiltered water samples.
Callie Nelson huddled in a circle with Carbon County Resource Volunteers teaching the group how to collect water samples.
Rachel Malison speaking to Flathead Rivers Alliance volunteers about Monitoring Montana Waters program.
Geoffrey with Flathead Rivers Alliance instructing Flathead Rivers Alliance volunteers on how to use a YSI probe.
Callie Nelson and Abie Ebert instructing Thompson Chain of Lakes Stewardship Coalition volunteers on how to collect a water sample.
Abbie Ebert instructing Thompson Chain of Lakes Stewardship Coalition volunteers on how to collect a chlorophyll a sample.
Callie Nelson and Abbie Ebert instructing volunteers on collecting water samples.

About the author

Callie Nelson

Callie Nelson is the 2026 BSWC member leading the Monitoring Montana Waters (MMW) program which supports citizen-led watershed groups in Montana. If you are interested in reaching out, her email is callie.nelson@flbs.umt.edu.