News Updates

Data Sheet Enhancements

The VA SOS Field Data Sheets have been altered slightly.  The new versions are now available on the Virginia Save Our Streams website: www.vasos.org/downloads.htm.  The changes include making the space for the tally marks larger, a better description of how to fill in the multi-metric scoring chart, and adding a new scoring category for the “gray” zone (see more information below).

Quality Assurance Measures

Has it been a while since you were last certified?  VA SOS asks that you keep your certification current by going through a re-certification process every two years.

VA SOS has recently completed two validation studies for the mountain/valley area of Virginia and the Piedmont areas of Virginia.  Based upon those studies, we are going to be incorporating a “gray” zone for our final score.  Both validation studies are available for viewing at the VA SOS website.

We are in the process of updating our quality assurance plan to keep up with these changes!  Look for a new (draft) version of the VA SOS quality assurance plan in May 2007.  The quality assurance plan will not change how data is collected!

Using Your Data

What’s Ahead…

Habitat Assessment Training – June 2, 2007 – Abingdon, Virginia

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay James River Sojourn – June 16 – 22 – for more information go to www.acb-online.org

Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Summit – July 21, 2007 – University of Virginia – for more information go to www.virginiacwq.org

Region III Volunteer Monitoring Conference – October 19 – 21 – Shenandoah University, Winchester – more details will be in the Summer Newsletter

Benthic Creature Profile

Most Caddisfly

Common Families…

Longhorned Case Makers, Humpless Case Maker, Saddlecase Maker, Fingernet Caddisfly, Trumpetnet Caddisfly, Freeliving Caddisfly

 This quarter we are featuring the large category of Most Caddisflies.  These families of caddisflies are more sensitive to pollution than the family netspinner (which we count separately in our monitoring).  Caddisflies go through complete metamorphosis – meaning they go through both a larvae and pupae stage before emerging on land as adults.  Many of these caddisflies build cases (either portable or fixed).  Caddisflies use silk to help build their cases.

	Freeliving Caddisfly – Rhyacophilidae  Never build themselves a retreat or a case!  Most are bright green and some folks have given these creatures the nickname of “Michelin Man”! Photo courtesy of Blythe Merritt

Meet a Monitor!

We are pleased to recognize the dedicated monitors who make VA SOS the organization that it is!  This quarter we recognize Blythe Merritt.

Monitor Name:  Blythe Merritt

Watershed Address: Bull Run, Occoquan, Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay

Stream(s) Monitored:  Cub Run, Little Rocky Run, Margaret's Branch (a not-yet-officially-named tributary on Webb Sanctuary), Popes Head Creek, Young's Branch, Little Bull Run, 2 other unnamed streams in Manassas Battlefield National Park, Slate Run, Catlett's Branch, South Fork Quantico Creek, (and the little creek behind my back yard, but that wasn’t official)

Years Monitoring:  7 +

I bet you didn't know that Blythe got an undergraduate degree in Physics, before she realized that she really liked the LIFE Sciences!

	Blythe Merritt (holding net) and Dan Veltri monitoring on a cold winter day in 2001.  Talk about dedication!  Stream is Cub Run in Centreville.  Photo courtesy of Blythe Merritt

Let us know what you think!  Review and Comment on draft changes to Virginia Save Our Streams field data sheets and data use policy…

www.vasos.org/policyupdate.htm

Have an article or picture you would like to share with other VA SOS monitors?  Send it to Stacey to be included in the Summer 2007 Newsletter

Virginia Save Our Streams

P.O. Box 8297

Richmond

Virginia

23226

804-615-5036

E-Mail Us!

We’re on the Web!

www.vasos.org