Aquatic Insects

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

Aquatic insects (and other stream-bottom macro-invertebrates) are a particularly good measure of water quality since many are pollutant sensitive, are readily collected, and can be rapidly identified. Aquatic insects spend a lifecycle in the same stream section, so the species present (or absent) reveal a water quality history that a single water sample taken at one point in time cannot.

Riffle Bioassessment by Volunteers (RBV)

FRWA conducts macroinvertebrate sampling days in September through November to monitor streams of the watershed on a rotating basis. Volunteers are recruited and trained to do the sampling in a one-day workshop. We use the sampling method in “Riffle Bioassessment by Volunteers” program (RBV) developed by CT DEEP. Once trained, volunteers can borrow supplies and sample streams throughout the CT Farmington River Watershed. Results are available on DEEP’s website.

Volunteer trainings are typically conducted in September. If you are interested in volunteering email Heather Geist.

Educational Videos

What We Monitor

Our ongoing water quality monitoring provides information that complements the work of other agencies. It also builds up a long-term record that could show how the river responds to changes in the watershed.

Bacteria

Learn more about how we sample E. Coli to observe water quality in the watershed.

Chloride

Learn about monitoring road salt pollution in the watershed and how you can help.

Temperatures

Learn how and why FRWA monitors water temperature throughout the watershed.

Aquatic Insects

Learn how we sample macroinvertebrates to observe water quality in the watershed.

Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria and the FRWA studies of cyanobacteria blooms in Rainbow Reservoir.

Nutrients

Monitoring is done on Rainbow Reservoir in Windsor and on tributaries in our watershed.