River Watchers

River Watchers

River Watchers is a citizen volunteer monitoring program for the Ohio River and selected tributaries throughout the Ohio River Basin that was originally founded in 1992 by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO).

The program includes groups in six Ohio River Basin states. These groups are comprised of students and citizens who are concerned about water quality issues.

Since the program began, thousands of volunteers have collected samples from the Ohio River and its tributaries to test for water quality. Outfitted with chemical test kits, a basic knowledge of water quality, and a desire to learn more about the effects of pollution on rivers and streams, participants collect samples and conduct tests to evaluate the health of local waterways in the Ohio River Basin. Data collected during testing are sent to ORSANCO where they are evaluated and entered into a database.

For more information, please contact Nick Callahan at 513-231-7719, extension 102.

View River Watchers Data (2004-2022)