This morning I went to Dayton to help with the
Carson River Snapshot Day. The Carson River is a terminal watershed, meaning that its water will never reach the ocean. It starts in Alpine County, California, and ends east of Fallon, NV in the Carson Sink. Each year, volunteers meet on one day, from 9 a.m. to noon, and sample the water. We take several samples that get sent to the state lab for testing. This happens throughout the watershed, beginning to end. We also write out observations, like water color, odor, drainages, inputs, pollution sources, and more. I think this is the fourth year I have been involved and this year I got to work with a representative from the Dayton Valley Conservation District. We had nine high school chemistry students plus their teacher.
Sometimes the river is low enough to walk out to the middle for the sample. This year there is a lot more water so we needed a pole dipper and waders.
The sample comes from the middle of the river, collected upstream from the volunteers so its not polluted with sediment or material washing off waders, etc.
Estimating the width of the stream.
Another shot of measuring the width of the stream. I loved being there surrounded by the fall colors!
Group of volunteers with the site locator--MCR-DAYT (Middle Carson River, Dayton Bridge)
Rob from the Dayton Valley Conservation District talking about water quality and why it's important.
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