Water Quality Monitoring Data

Friends of Sligo Creek’s Water Quality Monitoring data program includes measurements designed to evaluate and track the Creek’s biological, physical, and chemical health. We post the results of these monitoring efforts, or links to them, on our website and regularly share them with government agencies such as Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC or Parks.)

Our Water Quality volunteer team conducts monthly sampling at twelve sites along the Creek’s middle reach, measuring physical parameters like temperature, pH and conductivity, as well as pollutants like ammonia-N, Coliform and chlorine. In the summer of 2020, and again in summer of 2021 and 2022, we sampled for turbidity, Coliform, and dissolved oxygen levels as part of a regional consortium led by Anacostia Riverkeeper.

In addition, we partner with Nature Forward (formerly Audubon Naturalist Society) to help track Sligo’s biological state, keeping track of macroinvertebrates, insects, fish and other animals at our sampling sites on quarterly basis.

Finally, our Water Watchdogs program allows citizens to report suspected water pollution or other unusual water quality issues directly to DEP, Parks, and Friends of Sligo Creek via the Water WatchDogs link and at [email protected].