Illinois RiverWatch

We hope you'll enjoy photos of some of Illinois' smaller wildlife on #WorldWildlifeDay

@TKrauskopf I believe I came out a couple of years ago with the Heartlands team. We will have a new batch of trained volunteers later this month. If you'd like, we can see if any of them might want to come monitor at your place!

@IL_RiverWatch I miss those visits from a river watch team.

It's almost time for our Illinois RiverWatch workshops! Learn to monitor water quality in your local streams. Details and registration at: conta.cc/3ltLaoI #CommunityScience #WaterQuality #CleanWater

Another rainy day and an Overflow Action Day! Reduce your water use to lessen chances of combined sewer overflows that release untreated treated wastewater in to the river system. Learn more & sign up for Overflow Actions Alerts: bit.ly/3SAmqYx @MWRDGC @Skilling

Help #INHS scientists with #freshwatermussel research this summer/early fall as an aquatic field tech! Apply by Mar. 17! ➡️ bit.ly/3xJwViz 🛶 @iBioIllinois @IllinoisNRES #MolluskMonday #BLACKandSTEM @LatinasinSTEM @LGBTSTEM @PrairieResInst

We are flexing for mussels! Last summer, the Zoo participated in field surveys organized by the @IL_RiverWatch and Upper Sangamon River Conservancy to learn more about freshwater mussels. Keeper Robert ‘Grey’ Andre discusses his experience in the blog: bit.ly/3ZNYNPh

This project was funded by @CUAHSI and @LECBiodiversity.

ICYMI, we recently released a short film of the scientists and volunteers who study freshwater #mussels with RiverWatch. We can hardly wait until August when we will go #MusselGrubbing again with our amazing partners! @INHSillinois @stlzoo @mobotgarden youtu.be/V-308QE6roQ

Happy #CleanWater50 Anniversary! Through our citizen science programs, people across Illinois are able to learn about the health of their local streams. Learn more at ngrrec.org/riverwatch/ #cleanwater

Interested in learning more about #nature? Want to learn more about your local #streams? Register today at conta.cc/3Ken75z Join RiverWatch staff at sampling event this fall! Participants will be getting in the stream and catching aquatic #macroinvertebrates (water bugs)

Do you live in either the #MetroEast or Cook County? Want to learn more about RiverWatch? We have exciting news! We need volunteers to help sample streams with staff. Register today! Metro East Sampling - conta.cc/3R5xvig Cook County Sampling - conta.cc/3Ken75z

Join us this Saturday to learn how to monitor for mussels! Register today at conta.cc/3OBvbi8 Please share! #mussels #workshop #illinois #citizenscience #science #research #stream

Intern Wanted! Apply today at bit.ly/riverintern We are in search of an intern from August 18 to November 11, 2022 to support the Biodiversity of Freshwater Mussels project. #internship #sciencetwitter #research #mussels #illinois #missouri #collegestudent

Macro #Monday: Caddisfly In general, the #larve are #aquatic and may be found in a case typically constructed using plants, sand or other detritus that is spun together into a tube or cone. Some cases are spiral like a snail shell. Some species don’t make cases at all! #insect

Open Labs allow RiverWatch volunteers to receive assistance identifying their macroinvertebrates. Microscopes will be set up and ready to use and RiverWatch staff will be present to assist you! 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 - conta.cc/3Ob8PUm

𝙈𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮: Crane Fly There are over 500 species of crane flies found in North America alone. The larvae are plump and lack legs. They can be tan, gray or greenish. Aquatic cranefly live in streams and lakes and often eat decaying vegetation and leaf debris.

Open Labs allow #RiverWatch volunteers to receive assistance identifying their macroinvertebrates. Microscopes will be set up and ready to use and RiverWatch staff will be present to assist you! 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 - conta.cc/3Ob8PUm

In lieu of a standard Macro Monday, we would like to highlight the Mussel Training that is taking place on Saturday August 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Warrenville IL. Register today at conta.cc/3OBvbi8 Please RT! #mussels #workshop #illinois

𝙈𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮: Biting Midge The larvae (pictured) are white and worm-like with dark heads. Fully grown they reach 3.5 - 4 mm long. As adults biting midges are very small and are commonly known as biting gnats, no-see-ums, sand flies and more. #insects

𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲: Armored Mayfly These mayfly are commonly found in pools or runs in sandy streams. The cuticle is harder than many other mayfly species. The top and bottom portion of the thorax are fused together and cover the first 5 abdominal segments. #insect #macro