Meet Imogene Treble, a volunteer water quality monitor with the RiverTrends program since February of 2019. Imogene is a retired chemist from New Jersey who moved to Spotsylvania, Virginia to spend more time with her grandchildren. Soon after settling in Virginia, she learned about the Master Naturalist program, completed her training in 2016, and has been an active member ever since.

Imogene became involved in the RiverTrends monitoring program after her friend and now monitoring partner, Tina, recommended it to her. The program fit well with her naturalist interests so she decided to join Tina for a few sampling events, then completed her formal training in 2019. Imogene and Tina now collect and process monthly samples at the Hunting Run boat launch on the Rapidan River. They collect observational data, air and water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, water clarity, and recently added bacteria sampling into their monthly analyses to see what characteristics might play a role in bacteria levels at their site.

Imogene enjoying the spring wildflowers along the streambank

Imogene enjoys visiting the same spot each month and seeing seasonal changes, especially enjoying the bluebells and other wildflowers that the spring brings. Through water quality monitoring, Imogene thinks more about what impacts the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the bacteria levels at their monitoring station are very low, which she likes to share with others who may not be as connected to their local waterway.

Thank you, Imogene and Tina, for dedicating so much of your time to making the Chesapeake Bay watershed a healthier place for years to come. Our volunteers inspire us to continue working toward our vision of clean streams and rivers flowing through resilient landscapes.

Interested in becoming a water quality monitor? Visit the RiverTrends page to learn more.

Volunteer citizen scientists have been monitoring water quality as part of the RiverTrends project for over 35 years. Each month, monitors gear up to collect observational data and measure the trends of their local streams, including air and water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, bacteria, and salinity. These dedicated monitors give us a direct connection to communities we work with watershed-wide, providing invaluable local knowledge and support.