Working to combine data, knowledge, and resources to “feel the pulse” of the Elk River
By regularly re-evaluating monitoring priorities, goals, and methods, we ensure that monitoring efforts reflect the needs of data users and decision makers
Uniting many data and knowledge holders, stakeholders, decision makers, and community members allows for effective and powerful use of information
Our goal is to make data publicly available, and present information in a manner that is accessible to decision makers
About the Program
The Elk River Watershed Collaborative Monitoring Program is an effort to unite stakeholders to develop a cohesive understanding of watershed health. There is a wide array of disparate environmental monitoring activities underway in the Elk Valley for a variety of purposes. Addressing the issues faced in the watershed today requires data that cannot be collected by any one observing system – there is a need for an exchange of high-quality data across data collectors and data management programs. This demonstrates the need for a unified monitoring approach and unified open data portal to ensure that monitoring efforts contribute to building a holistic understanding of this watershed’s health.
Public Engagement
The Collaborative sees public engagement as an essential step to creating a monitoring program that represents community values. The Collaborative hosts public events to educate the Elk Valley community on water matters, give citizens the opportunity to ask questions, and seek input on water quality concerns.
