Scientists need good data to work with.
Without it, we can’t continue our projects to ensure the health of our watershed and steelhead trout habitats. And while our staff members at CCSE work hard to collect as much data in the field as possible, we can’t all be in different places at once. That’s why next year, we’re harnessing the power of citizen science using crowd hydrology.
Crowd hydrology empowers locals to act like true scientists — to read water depth and collect data as they’re walking by streams and estuaries. CCSE members will set up staff plates (signs that measure water depth) in different sites around the county, along with instructions for passerby: text us the site ID, date, time, and water depth reading of the creek. The data sent in the texts is automatically added to an online database that is available to researchers, students, and resource managers for free. It’s that easy.
Crowd hydrology engages and informs the public while allowing for important conservation work to continue. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make all the difference.
Your donation of $1,000 will pay for staff installation and maintenance of a sign; $200 alone covers the cost of the sign and installation materials. Recently, CCSE received a $500 donation. If we can double that amount with your help, we’ll have enough funds to start our first crowd hydrology site. No amount is too small.
The staff members of CCSE and your local watershed ecosystem thank you for your support!
