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Workshop: Design a Water Monitoring Project to Protect your Water

Contact:  Rita Chapman  517-484-2372 to register and for any questions.

The Sierra Club Water Sentinels are hosting a workshop on how to design an effective water quality monitoring project.  Please register by September 1 to Rita Chapman. 

When:        Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 10am until 5pm

Where:       Iron River, Michigan (map)

Cost:          $25 covers materials and lunch, will be collected the same day.  A small number of scholarships are available, please ask when registering.
 
Why:          The region is experiencing a dramatic increase in sulfide ore and uranium exploration.  So far, one company, Kennecott Eagle Minerals, has applied for a permit to mine nickel and copper from sulfides in the Yellow Dog Plains in northern Marquette County.  Participants will learn how to design a credible water quality monitoring project to help them collect data to help protect their water.  Learn why water monitoring is valuable, how to look for experts and funding, what parameters to consider, why quality assurance plans are important, what tools and reference materials are helpful, and even a few tips to keep track of it all.

Our Yellow Dog Water Sentinels have been conducting baseline water quality monitoring of the Salmon Trout and Yellow Dog rivers, and Cedar Creek since 2004.  Other groups have also been monitoring water there.  All the citizen scrutiny will no doubt play an important role in watch-dogging what happens, should mining commence. 

In Menominee County, the Shakey Water Sentinels have been monitoring water quality since 2006, where Aquila Resources is exploring for zinc and gold in a large sulfide deposit. 

It would be extremely valuable to have citizen water monitoring in each area where the interest exists.  

The workshop is limited to 50, please respond by September 1!

Shown:  John Rebers, Sierra Club Central UP Group Chair, tests the pH of the Salmon-Trout River, Yellow Dog Plains, northern Marquette County.