Madison Stream Team

As summer approaches, the Madison Conservation District is looking forward to getting back in the field and out on the water. The Madison Watershed is a complex and interconnected system, and the tributaries play an important role in maintaining ecosystem function and healthy fisheries. Community members can join us weekly as citizen scientists by becoming members of the Madison Stream Team. We will be performing our annual summer sampling during the months of May-September, with volunteer opportunities beginning in June. We will also be hosting a watershed-wide sampling event, the Tributary Blitz, on August 21^st.

Figure 1: Stream Team Volunteer collecting field data

What is the Madison Stream Team?

The Madison Stream Team is a volunteer-based water sampling initiative that began in 2010 with community members collecting water quality and surface flow data. The data collected helps us to better understand stream conditions and to identify potential concerns that can be addressed through conservation and restoration actions. The streams monitored by the Madison Stream Team were selected based on knowledge of water quality concerns or because they hold a particular importance to the community. As of 2024, 16 streams have been monitored by this team of volunteers. Our weekly monitoring occurs on three tributaries of the Madison River (Moore’s Creek, South Meadow Creek, and Jack Creek). The Tributary Blitz will monitor all 16 sites in one comprehensive sampling event.

This map shows the sampling sites throughout the Madison Valley.

Figure 2: Map of summer and winter sampling sites in the Madison Conservation District’s jurisdiction

For each stream, we will be collecting information on parameters, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, and discharge. Our Tributary Blitz will also provide a snapshot of the watershed through nutrient sampling and photo monitoring. All of the data is then submitted to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and is made available to the public through the MSU Water Quality Extension Data Hub at https://waterquality.montana.edu/datahub_about/index.html. The Madison Conservation District also develops a report at the end of each sampling season, called “The State of the Streams.” This report summarizes the findings of the Stream Team and other watershed-related business. To see reports from past years, visit our website!

Volunteer Event

We will be holding a volunteer training event on June 13^th at the Madison Valley Public Library for anyone that is interested in joining our team or learning more about our watershed. During the training, attendees will receive information on stream sampling techniques, aquatic invasive species, the newly completed Madison Watershed Restoration Plan, and the results of last year’s sampling efforts. Lunch will also be provided for attendees!

For more information or to RSVP for the training, email us at maia@madisoncd.org.