The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, Stroud Water Research Center, Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program will host a May 17 webinar on Putting Water Quality Data To Work Locally - A Conversation Cafe from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

The program will explore challenges and opportunities for meaningfully sharing water quality monitoring data with municipal officials, local Environmental Advisory Councils, and the public for improved land use planning and decision-making on local policy and practice.

Volunteer efforts to monitor local water quality and analyze and interpret the data are critical to understanding existing conditions, predicting impacts from land use change over time, supporting protective measures and appropriate stream classifications, and discovering pollution incidents early so that detrimental effects can be kept to a minimum.

However, for these data to be useful for planning, conservation, and restoration efforts, they must be conveyed in a meaningful, understandable, and compelling way to the people who have the authority to make land use and development decisions and to influence local policy and practice.

POWR is excited to host this event to give watershed organization leaders and volunteers, Master Watershed Stewards, and other citizen scientists across Pennsylvania the opportunity to talk about their experiences, challenges, questions, and ideas related to sharing, using, and applying the water quality data they have gathered to help inform land use and other local policy, practices, and planning.

The Café will kick off with several short case studies and will be followed by 45 minutes of discussion.

One hoped for outcome is a list of tools and resources that participants identify that would support their efforts to build their capacity to meaningfully and effectively use and share monitoring data to influence local land use planning and other policies and practices for better water resource protection and conservation.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Visit the POWR Events webpage for upcoming events and recordings of past online events and educational sessions.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and help available to community-based watershed organizations, visit the PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers website.  Follow them on Facebook.

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