Applications for the 2027 Stream Team Volunteer Cohort are now open!

Applications for the 2027 Stream Team volunteer program are now open!

Stream Team is the Town’s volunteer water quality monitoring program, launched in 2023. Small teams of volunteers visit a local stream four times a year to collect water quality measurements and complete a spring habitat check. These observations help the Town track changes in stream health and identify potential issues early, such as signs of pollution or storm impacts.

The information volunteers gather is especially valuable because it provides a long-term view of local stream conditions. Many Stream Team sites are also monitored by Town staff, allowing us to compare results over time and spot meaningful trends.

Stream Team volunteers receive training from staff on how to assess stream habitat, measure water quality, use monitoring equipment, and recognize possible pollutants. No prior experience is needed! We’ll teach you everything you need to know.

Volunteers wrapped up the summer monitoring session in August. Here are a few highlights from their findings:

• Many sites had higher water levels and increased flow compared to spring, likely due to heavy rainstorms that eased drought conditions from “severe” to “moderate.”
• Several teams reported bank erosion and downed tree limbs, also tied to storm activity.
• Measurements of dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and temperature were normal across all sites.

You can explore recent monitoring results using the data dashboard created by Stormwater Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Slay:
https://townofchapelhill.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/7e2d2b86c88f449ab1df28c859b57f41

For more information on current drought conditions in North Carolina, visit:
https://www.drought.gov/states/north-carolina

Applications for the 2027 volunteer cohort open October 15th. If you’re excited about local waterways and interested in contributing to community science, we’d love to have you join us! Learn more about Stream Team and find the application here: Stream Team | Chapel Hill, NC