Since 2001, Willamette Riverkeeper has developed a successful Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program. Currently 90 volunteers collect and report valuable water quality data at 50 sites on the Willamette River and its tributaries from Eugene to Portland. Volunteers measure temperature, turbidity, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen each month. From April through September, volunteers in Portland and Salem collect bacteria samples at popular recreation spots. Scroll down to view links to our most recent data.
We also submit our results to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, where they are entered into a statewide database of water quality data (LASAR). This data is used for watershed assessments and reporting, determining whether the river meets water quality standards, and shaping policy decisions related to clean water.
The program’s top priority is to collect accurate and usable data, but the benefits are two-fold: data collection and education. Becoming a water quality monitoring volunteer is often the first step in an individual’s involvement with the river, leading to a sense of ownership and commitment to its protection and restoration. For volunteer opportunities and program details contact our Water Quality Coordinator.
Sites Currently in Need of Volunteers
- Your creek! Is there a stream near you that you'd like to monitor that isn’t on our list of current sites? Let us know!
Water Quality Monitoring Locations, Reports and Data
Resource Materials for Current Volunteers
