Stream Health Evaluation Program

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The Stream Health Evaluation Program (SHEP) is an adult volunteer monitoring program that assesses the biological communities in streams in Hennepin County.

Volunteering with SHEP
Teams of volunteers under the direction of a team leader use biological field assessments to determine wetland health. Volunteers collect macroinvertebrates (spineless organisms such as leeches, snails and bugs) and perform a stream vegetation survey following guidelines and protocols developed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Volunteers are not required to have any prior experience or knowledge of stream monitoring. Hennepin County and program partners will supply all equipment and training necessary to complete the tasks; the volunteers supply the enthusiasm!

To register
Go to the Hennepin County SHEP website and fill out the Environmental Services Volunteer Application.


 

Wetland Health Evaluation Program

Since 1997, WHEP volunteers have been monitoring wetland health throughout Dakota and Hennepin Counties. They provide important information to city and county planners, engineers, resource managers, and others. The data is also used by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to track wetland health throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area. This is a valuable service and we rely on volunteers to collect data during each field season. Volunteers are typically recruited and asked to register between the months of March and May each year.

The Average Team:
• Usually consists of 6-12 adult volunteers, each volunteer dedicating between 20 and 40 hours throughout the summer.

• Collects samples as a group, the team leader provides all of the direction and schedules the sampling events.

• Samples during the evening hours on select weekdays, and during the day on select weekends. (Primarily in June and July).

• Monitors up to 4 wetlands in the sponsoring community and 1 wetland in a neighboring community.

Ready to Volunteer?
Complete and return the registration form below to your local coordinator. Volunteers are asked to register between March and May 1 each year.

Dakota County 2011 Registration Forms

Hennepin County 2011 Registration Forms


For more infromation and training dates please visit www.mnwhep.org

Hennepin County Mary Karius
Environmental Services
417 N. 5th Street, Suite 200
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-596-9129
mary.karius@co.hennepin.mn.us


Dakota County
Paula Liepold
Water Resources
14955 Galaxie Ave.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Phone: 952-891-7117
 Fax: 952-891-7031
paula.liepold@co.dakota.mn.us