Our Community, Our Water Quality | | Community engagement is crucial for improving and maintaining water quality. Local residents and stakeholders can significantly impact water quality through participation in monitoring programs, clean-up events, and by adopting sustainable practices in their daily lives. These actions help protect water resources for present and future generations. For community involvement in water quality protection, check with the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District | | Water Quality Volunteers are passionate about protecting water quality | | Making a Difference Through Community Volunteerism! | | Senator Jeremy McPike of the 29th Virginia Senate District with the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District Volunteers at the Prince William Volunteers' Appreciation Picnic Event, organized by Volunteer Prince William. John Price, Chair of the Conservation District Board of Directors, was also present to support the district volunteers. | | |
Adopt A Stream/Pond/River Segment and Get a Personalized Sign!
Are you interested in supporting clean water in Prince William by adopting or organizing a one-time cleanup event around any desired portion of a water body in the community or neighborhood? Contact the Conservation District for support for the support you need!
We will provide free cleanup supplies, support on trash haul, and road sign(s) to showcase individual or group community stewardship.
| | |
- Promote Community Water Quality Awareness
- Get free cleanup supplies for your event
- Get support with debris hauling
For more information,
contact:
waterquality@pwswcd.org
| | Promote Marine Debris Reduction in Prince William through Educational Awareness | | The County's First Trash Trap 'Bandalong' Needs Monthly Cleanup! | | |
Volunteers are needed
Every 3rd Wednesday of the Month!
To support this event and learn more about our trash trap (Bandalong), contact Drew at AUglow@pwcgov.org
| | |
Water Quality Monitoring Program
Chemical Monitoring Program
| | Volunteers under the Conservation District's Water Quality Program collect monthly data on conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, depth, and turbidity in Prince William County, towns, and cities. They help to identify Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and water chestnut plants for rapid response and eradication. | | |
Interested in supporting Water Quality Data as a Citizen Science Volunteer?
To support water quality data for the Chesapeake Bay Programs under the Conservation District Water Quality Program, pick up any stream or site of interest in your neighborhood and contact the Conservation District.
Over 1,100 miles of streams in Prince William drain into the Potomac River, and end in the Chesapeake Bay. The water quality data collected is sent to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as Tier II data under the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Cooperative (CMC) and the Virginia Save Our Streams Programs.
For chemical monitoring sites across Prince William County, visit: Chesapeake Data Explorer
For Benthic Monitoring sites, visit the Clean Water Hub
| | |
To support this data, and to learn more, contact:
Veronica Tangiri, waterquality@pwswcd.org
| | Biological water quality monitoring and community education experience with the Virginia Master Gardeners and Virginia Master Naturalists of the Merrimac Farm Chapter | | Water Quality Monitoring with the City of Manassas: Promoting chemical monitoring goals with Manassas City (Gabrielle Smyly), Virginia Master Naturalist Merrimac Farm Chapter (Tom Ligon), and Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District (Veronica Tangiri). | | Green Algae or Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)? | | |
Have concerns about strange greenish organisms in your nearby ponds or lakes?
Contact the Conservation District for monitoring support at waterquality@pwswcd.org.
Why Monitor for Algae? (Using YSI ProDSS)
| | |
Two-horned Water Chestnut
'Trapa bispinosa' OR "Two-Horned Trapa" In Local Waterways !
| | Photo Credit: Tom Ligon, Virginia Master Naturalist, Merrimac Farm Chapter | | |
For more information, contact:
waterquality@pwswcd.org
| | To All the Water Quality Volunteers! | | | | |
The Prince William County Police Department recognized Earth Month by emphasizing 'Litter Awareness' in the County!
This event was named 'Badges and Bags' Cleanup Event in the Bull Run watershed (Ellis Park and Coverstone Community). To support the Police Department in this great initiative were the Prince William County Environmental Management Division and the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District.
| | 'Badges and Bags' Cleanup Event -Prince William County Police Department | | Belmont Bay Paddlers and Community | | Aurora Flight Sciences, Manassas, Virginia | | "Save the Bay Day" with the Manassas City | | BAE Systems, Manassas at Bull Run | | Kyle Power - Occoquan Watershed | | Friends of the Dumfries Slave Cemetry | | |
- Bandalong /Trash Trap Neabsco Creek Volunteers
- Beckner Family -Occoquan
- Belmont Bay Paddlers - Occoquan Bay
- BAE Systems, Manassas - Bull Run
- Bull Run Watershed Protectors - Bull Run
- Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) - Occoquan
- Micron Technology Inc - Broad Run and Cannon Branch
- REI, Woodbridge Outlet -Broad Run
- Troop 964 - Neabsco Creek
- Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. - Broad Run
- Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition (PWSTC) and Water Quality Partners - Neabsco and Marumsco Creek
- Water Quality/ Group Neighbors- Occoquan
- Woodbridge Potomac Community Civic Association (WPCCA)
- Prince William Conservation Alliance- Cedar Run
- Shoemaker Family - Bull Run
- Aurora Flight Sciences, Manassas - Broad Ru
- Prince William Police Department - Bag and Badges Event
- Kyle Power - Occoquan
- Super Target - Broad Run
- Nokesville- Bristow Ruritan Club - Broad Run
- Friends of Dumfries Slave Cemetery - Quantico Creek
- Girl Scout Troop 90127 -Slate Run
Cleanup Results:
| |
First Half of 2025 Waterways Cleanup Results - PW Conservation District
- Number of Cleanup Events = 26
- Total Number of Volunteers = 574
- Total Pounds of trash = 23,300 lbs.
- Volunteer hours registered = 1501
- Taxpayers' Money saved =$52.220
- (Independent Sector 2024 rate)
- Total litter bags collected = 642
- Number of tires = 83
Thanks to all the District Water Quality Monitors!
| | Zainab Soofi of Patriot High School gets the Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation Scholarship | Zainab Soofi (6th person from left, and right) is a Patriot High School 12th grader who graduated from the Youth Conservation Leadership Institute, a program sponsored by the Virginia Conservation District. Zainab's interest in water quality data led her to a personal project with the Conservation District. She adopted a monitoring site from where she collected weekly chemical water quality data to help promote water quality awareness in the community. Ms. Soofi's handwork and dedication also earned her a scholarship of $2,000 from the Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation. | | |
Virginia Lakes and Wetlands Association (VLWA) Support Partnership Efforts on Water Quality and Pollution Prevention in Prince William
An ongoing community partnership effort to promote more water quality awareness in the Neabsco and Powells Creek Watersheds gets $ 3,500 from the Virginia Lakes and Wetland Association. This over $50,000 project in the Scenic Leesylvania State Park so far has as partners the Leesylvania State Park Authority, Prince William County Environmental and Watershed Division, Prince William County Schools (Center for Environment and Natural Science), Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition (PWTSC), and the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District.
To support and learn more about this unique and outstanding community education project on water pollution prevention, contact waterquality@pwswcd.org.
| | Upcoming Water Quality Events | | |
Biological Water Quality Monitoring at James Long Park, Haymarket
Sunday, August 10
Time: 10 am
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: 4603 James Madison Hwy, Haymarket, VA 20169
PARKING: Parking lot near the Nature Center
| | |
Certification of Biological Water Quality Monitors
Friday, August 29
Time: 10 am
For more information, contact waterquality@pwswcd.org
| | |
Fall Festival at Leopold's Preserve
Saturday, Sept. 20
Time: 10:00 am - 2 : 00 pm
| | |
Leesylvania State Park Annual Fall Festival
Saturday, October 25
Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location: Lessylvania State Park, 2001 Daniel K Ludwig Dr., Woodbridge, VA. 22191
For more information, contact leesylvania@dcr.virginia.gov
| | |
Thanks again for making a difference!
Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District is funded by Prince William County Public Works Department, Stormwater Management Branch, and through financial and administrative assistance provided by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Soil and Water Conservation.
Programs, activities, and employment opportunities are available to all people regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or political affiliation. Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
PWSWCD, 8850 Rixlew Lane, Manassas, VA 20109, Ph.: 571-379-7514, Fax: 571-379-8305
| | | | |
