Mad River Watch Asks Good Questions

On June 23rd & 24th, teams of Mad River Watch volunteers visited their field sites to collect important data and make careful environmental observations for the second time this summer. This article is part of an ongoing series that shares highlights from this field work as well as lessons learned from this year and the past 40 years of Friends of the Mad River’s Mad River Watch program

Mathias Boudreau-Golfman and Aquatic Biology Professor from St. Michael’s College Declan McCabe practice collecting Benthic Macro samples near Lareau Park in Waitsfield.

Asking the Right Questions
One of the most important parts of any scientific research is finding the right questions to ask. Revisiting which questions are being asked has helped drive the evolution of the Mad River Watch program. Over time, some questions get answered or we realize there is a better way to ask the question in the first place. For example, we’ve learned some key lessons about e. coli, that it increases as you head downstream from Warren to Moretown and that bacterial levels increase after a storm. But we’ve also reached the limits of what periodic grab samples can teach us about the way e coli moves through the watershed. Even though the data being collected might change, the lessons learned can still be valuable to people looking to cool down in the river this summer. Waiting twenty-four to forty-eight hours after a rain storm to go swimming can reduce exposure to potentially harmful bacteria. 

Baseline Monitoring & the La Rosa Partnership
Some questions can’t be answered through direct observation alone and require specialized equipment. This year we rejoined the La Rosa Partnership Program through the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Through this initiative, we will be testing water samples from five sites along the Mad River - Warren Falls, Wabanaki Conservation Area, Meadow Road, Pony Farm Road, and the USGS Gage in Moretown. Specifically, we’ll be looking at chloride, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and how these accumulate from one end of the watershed to the other. Water samples are collected by volunteers and sent to the lab where they are analyzed. The data is returned to Friends of the Mad River and becomes part of a state-wide data set. 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates
In 1972, the Clean Water Act was passed with the goal to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters. The Mad River Watch program takes its cue from these goals in determining which questions to ask. We are trying to understand the health of the whole river system. We want to make sure the water is clean and safe for folks to swim, fish, or paddle in and we are also interested in the way the river supports our more wild neighbors. This summer, we are really excited to be asking about Benthic Macro Invertebrates. These small critters can tell us a lot. They are the foundation of the food chain for brook trout and since some species are more sensitive to water quality than others, the distribution of species we find can act as an indicator. With the support of a summer intern, the Mad River Watch program is assessing existing field sites for their suitability for monitoring benthic macroinvertebrates and hopes to conduct these assessments in future field seasons.

Mathias Boudreau-Golfman examines Benthic Macro samples near Meadow Road in Waitsfield.

​Observations from the Field – Aquatic Organisms
On Monday, June 17th, Mad River Watch Summer Intern Mathias identified benthic macroinvertebrates at the Meadow Road site in Waitsfield. Using a kick-net and turning over stones to collect samples, he was able to count eight mayflies (Ephemeroptera), three stoneflies (Plecoptera), and six caddisflies (Trichoptera). These particular organisms are highly sensitive to water conditions and their presence points towards a healthy stream site.