Volunteers who live or work in the James, York and tidal Rappahannock river basins are invited to learn how to help clean up and monitor water quality in local streams. Groups and individuals are needed to assist the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) with litter clean-up, stream assessment and citizen monitoring. A training meeting will be held in Richmond August 7 at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at 5400 Williamsburg Road near Richmond International Airport from 10:00 a.m. until noon.

Participants may sign up for various levels of involvement on their selected stream. For example, the Adopt-a-Stream Program is a litter control program administered by DCR. Adopt-a-Stream groups organize and participate in two clean-up events per year.

DCR is also looking for volunteers, both individuals and groups, interested in conducting stream assessments or citizen water monitoring. Those interested will be trained to conduct a stream survey for possible sources of identified water pollutants on stream segments listed on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) list of impaired stream segments in Virginia. Training in citizen monitoring protocols will also be available.

For more information, contact Darryl Glover in DCR's York River watershed office at (804) 443-6752, Mike Bowman in the James River watershed office at (804) 527-4484 or 1-877-42WATER.