Water REporter
Join us as a Citizen Scientist!
Documenting algae for Harpeth Conservancy is invaluable to determine the health of the stream! Whether you’re a college student needing class credit, a Girl Scout / Boy Scout troop, a corporate team, or a concerned citizen, WE NEED YOU!
- Download the free Water Reporter app from the Apple Store here (for iphones) or the Google Store here (for android).
- Check out this handy download sheet to get you all set up with the app and connected with Harpeth Conservancy.
- Read through our Water Reporter Training Manual to see what types of issues to post, how to comment, how to use hashtags, and much more!
Have you noticed algae growing where you live, work, or recreate?
- Open the Water Reporter app
- Connect with Harpeth Conservancy’s Watershed Group
- Take a photo of the algae
- hold camera 4ft above for overview photos, 1ft for closeups
- Add a caption type broad category of algae: film, mats, sludge, cyano, green filamentous, other filamentou
- Determine size of algae occurrence: roughly how many square meters
- Estimate percentage of substrate that is covered with algae
- tell whah the algae is attached to: sand, gravel, cobble, boulder, bedrock
- Take a picture of the canopy (or sky) directly above the algae
- categorize the canopy cover: fully shaded, partially shaded, partially open, fully open
- estimate distance of canopy opening: closest canopy on each side of the stream
- Upload your picture to Water Reporter, and don’t forget to tag #algae and #harpethalgae!
For any questions or concerns about the app, feel free to email Dr. Ryan Jackwood at ryanjackwood@harpethriver.org. We hope you enjoy being a Water Reporter!
