Citizen science volunteer water quality monitoring program.
The Riverwatch Program consists of concerned community members trained to gather important water quality data in the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed.
Volunteers conduct monthly monitoring and also provide a network of “Eyes on the Water” to report pollution or other waterway issues.
Volunteer Opportunities
Read the Riverwatch Water Quality Report
Improving Water Quality Through Riverwatch
While government agencies regularly collect data from a number of sites in our watershed, budget and staff limitations prevent adequate coverage of the Niagara and its many tributaries.
Waterkeeper aims to provide surveillance monitoring to bolster baseline, local water quality data. This data will allow Waterkeeper to track the health of the waterways and be able to determine if restoration efforts are having a positive effect on water quality.
Our volunteers test throughout the entire Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed. Please use the interactive map below to explore the locations we test, the parameters tested, and the trends observed. For more information on Water Quality, including bacterial samplings in our area, past Riverwatch reports, and projects BNW completes to improve water, visit bnwaterkeeper.org/water-quality.
Opportunities vary from year to year. Recruitment and training for Riverwatch kicks off in the early spring of each year.
Spill Response
Accidental releases of hazardous materials have the potential to endanger public health and contaminate groundwater, surface water, and soils.
Learn how to report pollution or water quality issues with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper staff so we can continue to safeguard our waterways.
NYS DEC Spill Hotline:
Volunteer Opportunities
Riverwatch Baseline Chemistry Volunteer Application
Riverwatch volunteers involved in the Baseline Chemistry Sampling go out once a month during the months of May through October at various sites within the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed to conduct water sampling.
Interested in volunteering? Fill out the initial form below, then you’ll be taken to a Google form application to complete. We’ll review your application and respond at a later date.
As a reminder,
- Recruitment is from October to mid-March each year
- In-person training takes place in April
- Water sampling is from May to October
If you fill out the application form outside the recruitment window, we will have it on file, but we may not respond right away.
If you have questions about this program, please reach out to Robert Coady at rcoady@bnwaterkeeper.org.
Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper is proud to be part of the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN), a regional community of practice that unites and empowers community members to collect, share, and engage with water quality data for the conservation and enrichment of our Great Lakes and all who call it home.
Please use the interactive map below to explore the locations we test, the parameters tested, and the trends observed.
For more information on Water Quality, including bacterial samplings in our area, past Riverwatch reports, and projects BNW completes to improve water, visit bnwaterkeeper.org/water-quality.
