Nitrate Watch: Monthly Water Quality Testing at Wolftrap Creek

Project Summary

1 student tested nitrate levels at 4 points along Wolftrap Creek in Vienna, Virginia over the course of a month, contributing local water quality data to the Nitrate Watch citizen science project and finding levels well within safe drinking water standards.

Detailed Story

Nicole Collins, an individual CALP participant in Vienna, Virginia, spent a month monitoring nitrate pollution in her local Wolftrap Creek as part of the Nitrate Watch project, a partnership between the Izaak Walton League of America and the Clean Water Hub. Using a free Nitrate Testing Kit provided by the project, Nicole tested water at 4 distinct points along the creek three times each, contributing 12 data readings to a national dataset tracking nitrate pollution in tap and surface water across the United States. Her results showed overall nitrate levels around 2ppm, with one outlier reading between 3 and 5ppm — all safely below the Safe Drinking Water Act standard of 10ppm. The data she submitted is visible in her Clean Water Hub records for Wolftrap Creek sites #1 through #4, showing consistent “Excellent” ratings across most readings. For Nicole, the project was about more than the numbers: “It gave me a better understanding of pollution in my local stream, as well as the empowerment to get out to learn about it and collect data that can be used by others to better inform decision-making.”

Impact Statement

1 student generated 12 real water quality readings across 4 sites on Wolftrap Creek, contributing meaningful local data to a national pollution monitoring network. As Nicole reflected, the project gave her both scientific understanding and a sense of empowerment — showing that one person paying attention to their local watershed can produce data that informs broader decision-making.