Testing the Waters: A Paddle & Probe Adventure

press release: Every year hundreds of people discover the joys of paddling near their home on the Rock River. This year the Rock River Coalition invites everyone who likes to paddle and everyone who is curious about the Rock River’s water quality to join them as they paddle from Mayville to Beloit covering 8 to 17 mile segments from May 15 – 25.

Join our Paddle and Probe Adventure and unlock the mystery of our water quality. Attached to two kayaks will be special rigs holding monitoring probes. These probes will continuously measure the river’s temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and how acid or alkaline (pH) it is.  Every ten seconds the water quality readings will be sent to a website via a cell phone and will then be instantly mapped.

Over the course of the paddle nine community educational programs will be held where participants can view the monitoring rig, meet the team members; learn about the Rock River’s water quality, what is being done to improve it and what families can do.

In addition, project team members will be visiting area schools offering programs about the project and involving students in activities about water quality.

More information about the paddle segments, fees, community events and to registration for the paddle is on the Rock River Coalition’s website:rockrivercoalition.org.

Help is needed! The Rock River Coalition is currently looking for camping locations in the Watertown area on May 20 and May 21 and in the Janesville area on May 24 for up to ten team members. The RRC also need the use of a SUV or truck to pull the kayak trailer during the event and meal donations for the team members. To volunteer email suzanne@rockrivercoalition.org

Sponsoring organizations include the Rock River Coalition, UW-Whitewater, the Rock River Trail Initiative, the Rock River Stormwater Group, Current Data, UW-Extension, Jefferson County Land and Water Resources Department and the Department of Natural Resources.