Cook Inletkeeper - CEMP

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Cook Inletkeeper

Citizens Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP)

CEMP Partnership

Since 1996, local organizations have coordinated citizen-based water quality monitoring programs to help the State of Alaska and her citizens assess waterbody health. In the Cook Inlet Basin, rapidly increasing population and development have heightened the need for scientifically defensible, baseline data that allows citizens and managers to protect their public water resources.

Beginning in 1997, organizations throughout Cook Inlet have forged partnerships to train citizens in credible and effective data collection methods that will help ensure resource

protection. These partnerships have grown into the Citizen’s Environmental Monitoring Program Partnership of the Cook Inlet Watershed (CEMP Partnership), currently consisting of nine organizations.

CEMP Partnership Priority Objectives

While each organization has a unique program, the CEMP Partnership has several priority objectives that all partners strive for, including:

• Inventory baseline water quality data in the waterways of the Cook Inlet Basin, and

• Detect and report significant changes and track water quality trends, and

• Raise public awareness of the importance of water quality through hands-on involvement.

Since 1996, over 700 citizens have been trained through partner organizations in the CEMP Partnership. These citizens have collected almost 4800 observations at 250 stream, wetland, lake, and estuarine sites in the Cook Inlet Basin. Including both time and equipment donations, volunteers have contributed well over $550,000 of in-kind donations towards the organization programs within the CEMP Partnership.

CEMP Partnership Contacts

Anchorage Waterways Council

Molly Welker

Watershed Program Director

www.anchoragecreeks.org

Cook Inletkeeper

Tala Woodward

Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator

www.inletkeeper.org

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council

Sarah Masco

Environmental Specialist