DEQ grants to support citizen water quality monitoring

The DEQ has authorized $88,000 in competitive grants to support citizen volunteer water quality monitoring in Virginia.

The grants can be used to purchase monitoring equipment, perform laboratory services, and fund related expenses. Grant awards can range from less than $1,000 to $11,000 and applications are due Aug. 30, 2019.

“In our latest report, over 3,600 stream miles, 41.5 square miles of estuaries, and nearly 30,000 acres of lakes were monitored by volunteer groups,” according to Water Planning Division Director Jutta Schneider. “Their contributions are important and help the agency evaluate water quality on a wider area than ever before.”

“Many citizen groups operate on budgets less than $5,000 a year,” said Quality Assurance Officer James Beckley. “This grant program helps these volunteer-based groups continue their water quality monitoring mission.”

“The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay has been operating the RiverTrends Volunteer Monitoring Program for over 30 years and is dependent on grant funding to continue,” said Liz Chudoba Water Quality Program Director. “The current DEQ grant helps us support 72 active monitoring sites throughout Virginia.”

Applications are due by Aug. 30. More details, including the application form, are available on the DEQ website: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityMonitoring/CitizenMonitoring/GrantOpportunities.aspx