Goose Creek Association Fall Benthic Stream Monitoring Training

Event Details
📍 Location: 119 The Plains Rd, Ste. 200, Middleburg, VA 20117
🗓 Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
💲 Cost: Free
👥 Open to all interested volunteers ages 13+ (participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)

Experience citizen science in action! This program begins with an in-class lesson introducing participants to the importance of water quality and how aquatic life reflects stream health. Afterward, participants will head to Goose Creek for a hands-on benthic monitoring session, collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates like mayflies and caddisflies that reveal the condition of the water.

Goose Creek is a State Scenic River and a vital source of drinking water and wildlife habitat in Loudoun County. By pairing classroom learning with real-world fieldwork, students will gain both knowledge and practical skills in conservation science.

Next steps: If you enjoy the experience, you can continue training to become a Certified Virginia Save Our Streams (VA SOS) Monitor. Certified monitors are assigned their own stream site, where they conduct regular benthic surveys and contribute valuable data used to protect water quality across the state.

Why it matters: Understanding and monitoring the health of Goose Creek helps safeguard clean water, healthy ecosystems, and a brighter future for Loudoun.

👉 Space is limited, so RSVP today to reserve your spot!