ABOUT
The Henrico Area Water Quality Samplers (HAWQS) Team is Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District’s citizen water monitoring program. HAWQS volunteers perform a variety of water quality tests that measure the overall health of the county’s waterways. Water quality data from many of the county’s waterways are publicly accessible and reported on the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative (CMC) data entry website. Volunteers are trained to monitor a basic suite of parameters that include: temperature, turbidity and e. coli bacteria plating using the Coliscan method. Supplemental trainings and projects are offered throughout the year, such as benthic macro invertebrate monitoring and stream clean up events.
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Goals Of HAWQS Team
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To determine the current water quality conditions and identify pollution sources.
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To assist Henricopolis with determining BMPs effectiveness.
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To provide decision-makers with baseline information (Ex: In stream restoration projects).
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To identify and help protect clean waterbodies.
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To get outdoor exercise and breathe fresh air.
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To meet people who have an interest in Henrico streams.
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To seek solutions to improve water quality and work with Henrico County, reducing pollution.