Community Programs in Alger county

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We need your help to monitor the health of streams across Alger County! Our volunteer stream monitoring program meets twice a year, in spring and fall, to give our waterways a check-up.

What is macroinvertebrate stream monitoring?
Macroinvertebrates are aquatic insects and a valuable indicator of stream health. They can detect the presence or absence of pollutants in the water, and regular-stream sampling events can provide a snapshot of long-term conditions in our rivers and streams. ACD staff and volunteers get together in the spring and fall to collect macroinvertebrates and check the health of our waterways.

What do volunteers do? 

Here are three ways you can help:

 1. "Collector" - wear waders to go into the water to collect insects with nets

 2. "Runner" -  stays on the bank side and takes nets and buckets from the "Collectors."

 3. "Picker" -  picks out any insects found in the river/stream and places them into a jar for later identification.

If you want to get into the water, great! If you don't, great! There are jobs for everyone!

No experience is required; equipment is provided.

Streams and waterways we monitor in Alger County include Scott Creek, Slapneck Creek, Werner Creek, Dexter Creek, Baker Creek, Bohemian Creek, and the Anna River.

In partnership with Remy Battery, you can stop by our office anytime and drop off old batteries for recycling! Your participation helps us keep our waterway, forests, and soil clean of toxic substances batteries leech when thrown in the trash.