Water Action Volunteers

Five volunteers in a stream on a cloudy day standing in a circle. One volunteer in the middle is holding a tray filled with water and macroinvertebrates. the other four volunteers look on.

Water Action Volunteers

Monitoring and protecting Wisconsin’s streams

The Water Action Volunteers Program (WAV) engages adults and youth in the collection of water quality data useful for managing the health of Wisconsin’s 86,000+ miles of streams and rivers. WAV is an ongoing partnership between the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, in collaboration with over 50 local groups and organizations.

Get Involved

A group training in a forested setting, where volunteers gather around tables to identify macroinvertebrates.

For Volunteers

Join over 500 volunteers across Wisconsin to monitor the health of your local stream.

Become a Volunteer

Two people stand on the shore of a river looking at a macroinvertebrate.

For Organizations

Support volunteer stream monitoring in your area by becoming a local WAV coordinator.

Become a Coordinator

A group of youth and adults taking water clarity measurements in a stream with transparency tubes.

For Educators

Engage students in stream monitoring using our educational materials and curriculum.

In the Classroom

A person looks for bugs in a wide shallow rocky stream. Two other people explore the stream in the background.

Actually standing in a waterway helps remind me of the power and wonder of nature. Putting my feet and hands in the river for the monitoring is unique from canoeing or just looking at the water.
-WAV stream volunteer