Overview
The mission of WV Save Our Streams (SOS) is to promote the preservation and restoration of our state's waters by providing an understanding of their ecological
integrity. This mission is accomplished by conducting workshops, training volunteers on how to monitor their local wadeable streams and rivers.
The biosurvey approach is the preferred method of stream study, and is the focus of most (but not all) workshops. A biosurvey is the collection and evaluation of
the benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs), and an assessment of the physiochemical conditions. A biological integrity score and rating is determined by calculating three
to six metrics, depending upon the survey level. Multiple biosurveys provide volunteers with enough information to assess the conditions of their station. By adding
more sites, the overall condition of the watershed can be evaluated.
Contact Us
Callie Cronin Sams, Program Coordinator
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
47 School Street, Suite 301
Philippi WV 26416
Phone: (681) 341-9305
Email: Callie.C.Sams@wv.gov