Aquatic Systems – Virginia Master Naturalists

This page contains numerous curriculum resources that may be used flexibly by Virginia Master Naturalist chapters and trainees to meet their learning needs.  These resources also are available to other volunteer programs and the public for their use, but please note that watching or reading these materials cannot substitute for enrolling in and completing a basic training course with a VMN chapter in order to become a Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer.

Thank you to the numerous people who contributed to the creation of these materials, including Page Hutchinson (VDOF), Marilyn Smith (VMN), Anne Dunckel (Alliance for the Bay), James Beckley (VDEQ), Andrea Plevan (Tetra Tech), Ann Regn (VDEQ), Robert Hendricks (VMN), Mary Dail (VDEQ), Carolyn Thomas (Ferrum College).  Additional VMN volunteers and Creative Commons contributors provided images.  Michelle Prysby, VMN Program Director, served as the lead author and project coordinator.  Funding for the development of the Aquatic Ecology and Management curriculum was provided by a grant from the Virginia Environmental Endowment.

• The definition of a watershed
• The major watersheds and rivers of Virginia, as well as their own “watershed address”
• Characteristics of the major types of freshwater aquatic systems (stream, rivers, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs) in Virginia
• Characteristics of groundwater and major aquifers in Virginia
• Basics of stream patterns, processes, and dynamics such as stream flow, sediment transport, baseflow, bankfull discharge, floodplains, meanders, riffles, and pools.
• Abiotic and biotic factors affecting surface water quality, including chemistry, flow, habitat structure, and energy inputs
• Aquatic food webs
• Key categories of organisms in freshwater aquatic systems, including benthic macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels, and fish, and how these organisms can serve as biological indicators of water quality.
• Issues and threats relating to aquatic systems in Virginia, including point and non-point pollution, habitat loss, aquatic invasive species, and threats to groundwater such as contamination and subsidence.
• Key principles, tools, and methods for management of aquatic systems in Virginia, including the types of monitoring (physical, chemical, biological) volunteer groups may do.
• The roles of Virginia state and local agencies in managing aquatic systems
• The roles of citizens in the stewardship of aquatic systems in Virginia
• What a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience is and how Master Naturalists can facilitate MWEEs in their communities

• ​Conduct basic water quality testing (physical, chemical, and/or biological), understand the data, and know what the data mean in relation to the waterbody being monitored
• Communicate with the public about the value of aquatic systems, the issues facing them, and what citizens can do to help

What: Short videos to introduce volunteers to the topic of Aquatic Ecology and Management.

Possible uses:

• Have trainees watch before class as preparation
• Watch as part of class
• Have trainees watch after class as review or supplementary material
• Have existing members watch as a refresher on this topic

Citizen Water Quality Monitoring: An interview with James Beckley, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
​Watch below or at video.vt.edu.

Bay 101: Stormwater Runoff, produced by the Chesapeake Bay Program.  Watch the video below, or on the Chesapeake Bay Program website.  (Creative Commons license, CC BY-NC 3.0, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/legalcode)

Freshwater Mussels, produced by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

Virginia Water Radio Podcast – Water-quality Monitoring from a Trio of Perspectives
(For a transcript of this podcast episode, view it on the Virginia Water Radio website.)

Most Recommended Readings​

• Sustaining America’s Aquatic Biodiversity: Aquatic Habitats – Homes for Aquatic Animals, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-522/420-522.html
• Sustaining America’s Aquatic Biodiversity: Aquatic Insect Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-531/420-531.html
• The Water Cycle (USGS), https://labs.waterdata.usgs.gov/visualizations/water-cycle/index.html#/

Supplemental Readings​

• 2020 Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/assessments/integrated-report, particularly the Executive Summary​
• An Educator’s Guide to the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience, https://www.chesapeakebay.net/documents/2017_MWEE_Guide.pdf​
• Additional articles in the Sustaining America’s Aquatic Biodiversity series, including articles on:
  • What is aquatic biodiversity; Why is it important?, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-520/420-520.html
  • Why is aquatic biodiversity declining? https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/420/420-521/420-521.html
  • Freshwater Mussel Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-523/420-523.html
  • Crayfish Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-524/420-524.html
  • Freshwater Fish Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/420/420-525/420-525.html
  • Selected Freshwater Fish Families, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-526/420-526.html
  • Frog Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-527/420-527.html
  • Salamander Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-528/420-528.html
  • Turtle Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-529/420-529.html
  • Freshwater Snail Biodiversity and Conservation, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/420/420-525/420-525.html

Above and Beyond, for those seeking more in-depth information
Note that book publisher websites are provided, but often these books are available from other sources at varying prices.

• Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Methods Manual, https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/monitoring/citizen-monitoring (find the manual under the Resources header)
• A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America by J. Reese Voshell, Jr., https://mwpubco.com/shop/ols/products/bird-is-the-word

Benthic Macroinvertebrate Identification Resources

• Virginia Save Our Streams macroinvertebrate dichotomous chart, http://www.vasos.org/wp-content/uploads/dichchartpapersize.pdf
• Virginia Save Our Streams ID cards, http://www.vasos.org/wp-content/uploads/bugidcardeasternmethod.pdf
• Virginia Save Our Streams ‘cheat sheet’, http://www.vasos.org/wp-content/uploads/cheatsheet.pdf
• Isaak Walton League Key to Stream Macroinvertebrates, https://www.iwla.org/docs/default-source/conservation-docs/water-docs/save-our-streams/key-to-stream-macroinvertebrates.pdf?sfvrsn=16ad80d_0
• Stroud Water Research Center key to freshwater macroinvertebrates, http://www.stroudcenter.org/education/MacroKeyPage1.shtm

Additional Video and Podcast Resources​

• Virginia Water Radio podcast, http://www.virginiawaterradio.org
• Virginia Save Our Streams methods videos for rocky and muddy bottom streams, http://www.vasos.org/monitors-page/training-resources/
• Macroinvertebrate identification by the Isaak Walton League Save Our Streams program, https://youtu.be/AV-Ul9vRyfw
• Bay 101: Sediment by the Chesapeake Bay Program, https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/videos/bay_101_sediment
• Mystery of the Muddy Mayhem, ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFxw3jEnciA

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What: A three-part set of online videos of PowerPoint presentations with narration by Michelle Prysby, Director of the Virginia Master Naturalist program.  Combined, they are approximately 45 minutes long.
Possible uses:

• Have trainees watch before class as preparation
• Watch as part of class, combined with hands-on activities
• Have trainees watch after class as review
• Share with instructor to give him/her an idea of the type of material to cover
• Have trainees watch as a make-up for a missed class on the same topic
• Have existing members watch as a refresher on this topic

User Notes: Please note that you can make the video full-screen and toggle the closed captioning on and off.  Please also note that these videos are intended to be used in conjunction with the handout provided below.  You can also watch these videos at video.vt.edu: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Note for Basic Training Chairs and Course Instructors: The script for the full Powerpoint presentation is provided below for download in MS Excel format, which makes it easy to add, delete, or re-order slides.  Basic training chairs for VMN chapters may contact the state office for access to the full Powerpoint file.  Both the Powerpoint and the script may be used and adapted for your courses.  Please pay attention to the image license restrictions listed in the notes section for each slide in the Powerpoint file.

What: A two-page handout that matches up with the presentation.  It is best printed in color, but black and white is acceptable.

Possible uses:  The handout is meant to accompany the PowerPoint presentation or the videos, so if an instructor is using the presentation in class, he/she should distribute the handout in lieu of a handout containing all the slides.  It is not recommended that you print the slides for a handout, as they are almost entirely image-based and would not make good reference material.
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Note: We have provided the handout in both PDF and MS Word formats.  You may adapt the MS Word version to fit your chapter by, for example, adding additional, relevant volunteer projects to the list provided.

What: Lesson plans for interactive activities on aspects of aquatic ecology and management.

Possible uses: These activities can be used during class time to encourage trainees to apply the material they have learned and to break up lecture time with an interactive exercise.  The lesson plans are written so that they may be led by non-experts, including VMN volunteers.

Activity #1: Exploring Virginia’s Watersheds.  In this activity, participants will become familiar with Virginia’s major watersheds, find their own watershed addresses, and learn about impaired waterways in their communities.

Activity #2: A Snapshot in Time.  This activity is from the Healthy Waters, Healthy People Water Quality Educators Guide by the Project WET Foundation.  In the activity, participants examine water quality data from a hypothetical stream and learn to interpret it.  We cannot post the lesson plan online, but we do have permission from the Project WET Foundation to share it directly with VMN chapters upon request for the purposes of VMN basic training.  If you or your guest instructor would like to use this activity, please contact the statewide office and you will be provided with a link to download a PDF version.

What: A set of possible assessment questions on this topic for VMN trainees.

Possible uses: Incorporate these questions into written or practical assessments during the course.

What: Evaluation packet consisting of a summary form to be completed by the chapter’s training chair and individual evaluation forms to be completed by chapter trainees.

Possible uses:  We would like to have you help us evaluate the effectiveness of these materials for meeting program goals.  We request that chapters using any of these materials have their trainees complete the evaluation form.  The training chair or coordinator for that class should complete the cover sheet and return the cover sheet and all individual forms to the VMN statewide program office.