WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS

I included unknown/unassessed rivers on my application. Why am I still on the waitlist?
We are thrilled that you are eager to collect data for this project. We have a high volume of volunteers and a limited amount of equipment. The project extends through the end of summer 2023 and you may have a chance to collect data before project’s end.

How do I choose where to collect data? 

1. Visit the Site Selection lesson in the Field Probes course of the training. We cover the criteria you need to consider in selecting your sampling locations. 
2. Explore the resources on the Trip Planning page and visit rivers.gov to confirm that the location(s) you want to visit are on river sections designated as “Wild and Scenic” and managed by the National Park Service, US Forest Service, or Bureau of Land Management.
3. Collect data approximately every 13 miles on the river that you have confirmed with Adventure Scientists staff.

I score the lottery permit of a lifetime on a Wild and Scenic River! Can I collect data for this project?
Congratulations! Let us know about your permit and trip plans. We will prioritize getting equipment to you if humanly possible.

Does Adventure Scientists provide research access to lottery rivers?
We have administrative permits for several lottery rivers  and we are working on securing access to others. If you have a trip in mind, contact us and we can let you know.

When do I get gear? 
Once a member of your team finishes the online training and signs the volunteer waiver, we will ship your team gear to that person. We’ll send just one gear kit per team.

I’m having issues with my probe! Can you help?
Check out the troubleshooting in the Field Probe Protocols first. If the battery has died or you see a ? in the bottom left corner of the probe’s screen, email us to let us know. Then, ship the probe back to us for recalibration and we will send a replacement ASAP.

​
Grab Sample Volunteers Only:

Do I take field probe measurements and grab samples in the same location? 
Yes!

How many times do I collect grab samples at the same location?
Collect grab samples three times, with at least a month between trips. 

I collected grab samples over a weekend. When should I ship them to the lab? 
If you collect grab samples Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, you should put them in your fridge (do NOT freeze them) and ship them out the following Monday. We want to make sure samples arrive at the lab when there is someone there to receive them.
​
I received one or two coolers. Don’t I need three? 
We will send you the next cooler once you’ve collected grab samples with the first. Let us know when you are ready for your next cooler!

If you have additional questions, reach out to us at rivers@adventurescientists.org!