A note about our results:

The raw data archive (linked below) includes three tabs: chemical, biological, and physical.

Chemical: Any school highlighted in gray uses the LaMotte GREEN low-cost water monitoring kit.  Other schools use a combination of water quality monitoring test kits, typically LaMotte. The Overall Water Quality Score is determined by using protocol from the Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring by Mark Mitchell and William Stapp. Q-values have been standardized by using a calculator to remove the human element of “eyeballing” the Q-value charts. Q-values determine a water quality index on a scale of 1-100 that summarizes results from a total of nine different measurements when complete (similar to a grade on a test). Question marks indicate data was not submitted for that parameter, and N/A indicates the school did not sample for that parameter.  Schools missing one to three parameters are still able to calculate an overall water quality score using an adjustment formula.

Biological: Stream quality score is determined using the Michigan Clean Water Corps identification and assessment worksheet. This is the same protocol used during the Friends of the Rouge Bug Hunts. “R” indicates the organism was “rare”: only 1-10 of that organism was found. “C” indicates the organism was “common”: 11 or more were found.

Physical: The physical stream survey was revised in fall 2015. Other physical stream survey results are available by request.

Student submitted data & FOTR reports:

Raw data archive (in progress)