The California Citizen Science, Crowdsourcing and STEM Toolkit for Agencies and Tribes Working with Surface Waters and Watersheds

• California Volunteers is the state office that manages programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Californians engaged in service and volunteering.
• Best Practices and Recommended Policies a Manual for Volunteer Programs at State Agencies
• AmeriCorps in California
  AmeriCorps programs do more than move communities forward; they serve their members by creating jobs and providing pathways to opportunity for young people entering the workforce. AmeriCorps places thousands of young adults into intensive service positions where they learn valuable work skills, earn money for education, and develop an appreciation for citizenship.
  • California Volunteers
  • Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership
  • Watershed Stewards Program (WSP)
    

Created by the State Legislature in 1967, the five-member Board protects water quality by setting statewide policy, coordinating and supporting the Regional Water Board efforts, and reviewing petitions that contest Regional Board actions. Together with the Regional Boards, the State Board is authorized to implement the federal Clean Water Act in California. The State Board also is solely responsible for allocating surface water rights. The nine Regional Boards are semi-autonomous and are comprised of seven part-time Board members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Regional boundaries are based on watersheds and water quality requirements are based on the unique differences in climate, topography, geology and hydrology for each watershed. Each Regional Board makes critical water quality decisions for its region, including setting standards, issuing permits (waste discharge requirements), determining compliance with those requirements, and taking appropriate enforcement actions. http://www.waterboards.ca.gov

• California Water Quality Monitoring Council
• The Clean Water Team Citizen Monitoring Program
  The Clean Water Team supports citizen science, crowdsourcing, STEM for the advancement of watershed protection and restoration. The CWT is a part of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP). The CWT works statewide in order to provide technical assistance and guidance documents, training, QA/QC support, temporary loans of equipment and communication to citizen monitoring programs and watershed stewardship organizations.
  • CWT Volunteer
  • SWAMP
• California Water Quality Monitoring Collaboration Network: 2017 Citizen Monitoring Webinar Series - YouTube Including the Following Webinars: (The following resources were presented as part of a Citizen Monitoring Webinar Series held in 2017 )
• Utilizing Bioassessments and Citizen Science for Stewardship in the Truckee River Watershed
• Citizen Science Works for the Recovery of a Wild & Scenic River, its Fisheries, and its Communities
• The Application of Citizen Monitoring to Inform Citizen and Government Enforcement Actions
• Urban Tides Community Science Initiative Captures the Future of Our Urban Ocean
• Snapshot Day Events:  Water Quality Monitoring-Blitz
• Guidance Compendium for Watershed Monitoring and Assessment
  The purpose of this Compendium is to enhance the user's knowledge and ability to make decisions regarding measurements of water quality in various water bodies. It should be useful to field operators conducting water quality monitoring, technical advisors and trainers of citizen monitoring groups, agency staff, or any other person interested in water quality issues.
• The Clean Water Team's Tool Box
  This Toolbox has template files and documents that will help you manage and organize your water quality monitoring data. Most of the items are part of the Data Quality Management (DQM) system that the Clean Water Team has developed for the collection management and sharing of reliable data of known quality. The utility of the tools contained within this virtual toolbox will be especially useful as you begin to analyze your project's data.
• Clean Water Team Videos
  Watch training and educational videos related to water quality monitoring and watershed stewardship.
        Video Playlists
  • Citizen Monitoring Programs in California
  • Related California Community Groups
  • Creek Watch and Other Crowdsourcing Apps


• Watermarks: The California Newsletter for Citizen Water Quality Monitoring

Section 1.0 - Introduction and Overview

• 1.1.3 - The Universe of Citizen Monitoring
  • 1.1.3.1 - A Volunteer Monitoring Code of Ethics
  • 1.1.3.2 - Introduction to the Clean Water Team and Citizen Monitoring in California
  • 1.1.3.3 - Volunteer Monitoring National Facilitation Project (Citizen Science & REVISE STEM Project) [external link]
  • 1.1.3.4 - USA Volunteer Monitoring Network [external link]
  • 1.1.3.5 - Volunteer Monitoring in the San Francisco Bay
  • 1.1.3.6 - Developing Relationships Between Public Agencies and Volunteer Monitors
  • 1.1.3.7 - Monitoring Consortiums: A Cost Effective Means to Enhance Watershed Data Collection
  • 1.1.3.8 - Broadening Participation in Biological Monitoring Projects
  • 1.1.3.8a - Citizen Bioassessment Monitoring- Successes & Challenges
  • 1.1.3.8b - Example of a Citizen Monitoring Bioassessment Program- Friends of Deer Creek
  • 1.1.3.8c - Vernal Pool Planning at a Local Level Using Citizen Scientists
  • 1.1.3.9 - The Role of Citizen Based Monitoring Programs in Creating a Healthy Watershed
  • 1.1.3.9a - One Day Snapshot Finds Hotspots
• 1.1.4 - Introduction to Data Quality
  • 1.1.4a - Sound Science
  • 1.1.4.1 - What are Good Data?
  • 1.1.4.2 - The Clean Water Team (CWT) Data Quality Management System
  • 1.1.4.3 - Basic Concepts in Data Quality
  • 1.1.4.4 - Data Quality - Tips for getting it, keeping it
  • 1.1.4.5 - The Mystery of Quality Assurance
  • 1.1.4.6 - The Volunteer Monitor's Guide To Quality Assurance Project Plans
  • 1.1.4.7 - Shattering the Myths of Volunteer Monitoring: The Malibu Creek Watershed Stream Team | Pilot Project
• 1.1.5 - Watershed Characterization Strategies and Monitoring Goals
  • 1.1.5.5a - Watershed Characterization Strategies and Monitoring Goals
• 1.1.6 - California Water Quality Monitoring Collaboration Network 2017 Citizen Monitoring Webinar Series:  Including the Following Webinars:
  • 1.1.6a - Utilizing Bioassessments and Citizen Science for Stewardship in the Truckee River Watershed
  • 1.1.6b - Citizen Science Works for the Recovery of a Wild & Scenic River, its Fisheries, and its Communities
  • 1.1.6c - The Application of Citizen Monitoring to Inform Citizen and Government Enforcement Actions
  • 1.1.6d - Urban Tides Community Science Initiative Captures the Future of Our Urban Ocean
  • 1.1.6e - Snapshot Day Events: Water Quality Monitoring-Blitz
• 1.2.2 - Web Based Resources for Non-Profit Organizations and Volunteer Groups
  • 1.2.2.2 - Implementing Web-based Digital Technologies for Volunteer Monitoring, Watershed | Stewardship Organizations and Agencies
• 1.2.3 - Managing Volunteers
  • 1.2.3a - Volunteer Management for Citizen Monitors
  • 1.2.3b - Training and Learning for Citizen Monitoring Trainers
  • 1.2.3c - The Clean Water Team 4-Step Training Method
  • 1.2.3d - Effective Training
  • 1.2.3e - How to Host a Clean Water Team Train the Trainer Workshop

Section 9.0 - Staff and Volunteers Role-Specific Data Quality Management (DQM) Materials

• 9.1 - Role of the Member of the Public
  • 9.1.1.0 - Data Quality Fact Sheet
• 9.2 - Role of the Field Operators
  • 9.2.1.1 - Use of the DQM   Field Data Sheet for Water Quality Monitoring Standard Operating | Procedure (step-by-step instructions)
  • 9.2.1.2 - Use of the DQM Calibration and Accuracy Checks Data Sheet Standard Operating | Procedure (step-by-step instructions)
• 9.3 - Role of Trainer & QA Person
  • 9.3.1 - Role and Responsibilities of the Trainer (Information Paper)
• 9.4 - Role of Technical Leader
  • 9.4.1 - Project Planning; Lining Up Your Troops
  • 9.4.1.1 - Use of the DQM Generic Monitoring Task List Template | Standard Operating Procedure (step-by-step instructions)

CreekWatch App

• Water Quality? There is an “App” for that!
• No Longer Available: Creek Watch: Explore Your Watershed
• Creek Watch: Using iPhones to Help Our Watersheds
• Video Playlist: CreekWatch and Other Crowdsourcing Apps
• Environmental Monitoring User Manual for the Creek Watch App

FieldScope

Using FieldScope, enthusiasts work together to share, analyze, and interpret data. Overlaying that data on a geographic mapping tool such as FieldScope helps to identify larger trends and answer important research questions.

iNaturalist

Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe.

California Department of Education - STEM Introduction

California leads the world in STEM education, inspiring and preparing all of its students to seize the opportunities of the global society through innovation, inquiry, collaboration, and creative problem solving.

California Department of Education - STEM 2014 Task Force Report

The California STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) Service-Learning Initiative supports secondary school and higher education students working together to meet community needs through a STEM design process.

California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC)

Administered by the California Department of Education, CREEC  is a communication network supporting the environmental literacy of California's students by providing teachers with access to high quality environmental education resources.

A Blueprint For Environmental Literacy Educating Every California Student In, About, and For the Environment
The Environmental Literacy Task Force developed six essential overarching strategies to achieve environmental literacy for all California students. An environmentally literate person has the capacity to act individually and with others to support ecologically sound, Economically prosperous, and equitable communities for present and future generations. Through lived experiences and education programs that include classroom-based lessons, experiential education, and outdoor learning, students will become environmentally literate, developing the knowledge, skills, and understanding of environmental principles to analyze environmental issues and make informed decisions.

Project WET- California

Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is an award-winning, nonprofit water education program and publisher. The program facilitates and promotes awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids and the establishment of internationally sponsored Project WET programs. The Water Education Foundation is the California Coordinator for Project WET.

Project WILD & Aquatic WILD- California

Project WILD is a wildlife-based conservation and environmental education program that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources. Project WILD activity guides provide curriculum specially designed for educators of kindergarten through high school youth. Professional development training and educational materials are available through workshop participation.

Earth Echo Water Challenge (formerly World Water Monitoring Challenge)

Earth Echo Water Challenge/World Water Monitoring Challenge is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.

In 2016, a total of 76,790 bodies of water were visited by 1,499,068 participants to monitor sites in 143 countries. We challenge you to test the quality of your waterways, share your findings, and protect our most precious resource!

California Naturalist

The mission of the UC California Naturalist Program is to foster a diverse community of naturalists and promote stewardship of California's natural resources through education and service.

Federal Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Toolkit

Federal Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Community of Practice

National Water Monitoring Council

CitizenScience.gov
The offical government website designed to accelerate the use of crowdsourcing and citizen science across the U.S. government.

Citizen Science Association

Environmental Protection Belongs to the Public, A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA

Examples of Participatory Science Projects Supported by EPA

Air Sensor Toolbox for Citizen Scientists, Researchers and Developers

NASA- Citizen Scientists
Home of the NASA Science Mission Directorate's citizen science projects as well as other opportunities for public involvement in NASA's science and technology programs.

Citizen Science Competitive Funding Program

Citizen Science Association
CitSci supports your research by providing tools and resources that allow you to customize your scientific procedure - all in one location on the internet.

Citizen Science GIS
CS-GIS works with communities across the globe to visualize local knowledge through GIS, drones, and collaboration.