Benthic Monitoring

Do you ever wonder about what lives in the river besides fish and turtles? Come to one of our Rouge River Bug Hunt Days and see for yourself the amazing variety of aquatic insects, crayfish, snails and clams that make up the bottom of the river food chain. Twice a year, teams of volunteers visit sites throughout the headwaters of the watershed and search for mayflies, stoneflies and other aquatic invertebrates. The presence or absence of these streambed creatures reflects the quality of the water and habitat. We are using them to track changes in the river quality over time.

Bug Hunt Days are held on a Saturday in the fall and in the spring. No prior experience is necessary but you do need to pre-register to be assigned to a team. Once you have attended one sampling day, you might consider increasing your level of involvement by attending training to become a team leader.

Learn to identify the insects, crayfish, snails, and clams that live at the bottom of the Rouge River. Also, learn about the characteristics that allow them to live in the Rouge River watershed.