Water Monitoring and Stewardship

The Water Quality Monitoring Program takes responsibility for water monitoring and stewardship beyond the successful citizen-based monitoring program. The Program Manager and many of our volunteers have extensive knowledge and experience in scientific research, water protection, and monitoring. As such we are utilizing and sharing this expertise through our programmatic work and inter-agency collaborations. Please feel free to contact the WQM Program Manager regarding inter-agency collaborations.

VSN’s WQM efforts beyond the citizen-based monitoring program include:

Well Water Testing

Youth Education and Water Curriculum

Spring Monitoring – Karst Research

Monroe County BMP Practices

WDNR Monitoring Assistance


Well Water Testing

In response to increasing concern over water quality and threats to regional aquifers, in 2008 VSN began offering a well water testing service to assist its members and other residents in testing the quality of their private wells.

Read more about VSN’s well water testing services

To inquire about having VSN sample your well, please contact our WQM Program Manager.


Youth Education and Water Curriculum

VSN has and will continue to education youth about water related issues by taking part in and helping develop school curriculums, speaking about water and demonstrating water monitoring for summer camps and hosting kids activities at public events. VSN is always willing to be involved with schools, camps, youth groups and other youth events. Please contact the Water Quality Program Manager for more information or to schedule a speaker or activity leader.


Spring Monitoring – Karst Research

VSN is providing water monitoring and data analysis services to the Karst Research Pilot Project in the area of Viroqua, Wisconsin as a part of the Karst Report sponsored by the Nuzum Foundation Kickapoo Valley Reforestation Fund.

Learn more about the Karst Report.


Monroe County BMP Practices

VSN is working in conjunction with the Monroe County Land Conservation Department (LCD) and the WDNR to promote BMP at sites of concern in the county. In 2008, three BMP projects were implemented and water monitoring and fish species assessment were done to assess stream health. VSN is currently working with Monroe County LCD and WDNR to perform post-construction stream assessment to analysis the success of these BMP implementation.

VSN was honored to be named 1 of 8 finalists in the national MillerCoors River Network grant competition to expand the BMP in Monroe County and commence this work in Vernon and Crawford Counties.


WDNR Monitoring Assistance

Understanding that WDNR funds limit their ability to assess small waterways in the Kickapoo watershed, VSN is working with the WDNR to monitor these waterways. The WDNR is providing the equipment and the laboratory sample analysis and VSN is doing the field work.