By Eric Patterson
Water Sentinels — Rios de Taos has completed its 2015 monitoring schedule. We have added new members to our monitoring team. Disturbingly, we have found high levels of e. coli in several places in the Rio Fernando de Taos that indicate that further testing is needed.
Sentinels have started testing two additional sites on the Rio Grande this year and hope to add additional monitoring sites in 2016. Sentinels would love to add monitoring sites on downstate streams that may be impacted by dairy waste. If you have a specific site of concern, please contact Eric Patterson at eepatt@gmail.com.
Water Sentinels will be working with a new crop of Taos High School students this year. David Gilroy, our liaison with the Tiger Salamanders, won the Outstanding Taos High School Teacher of The Year Award last year. He plans two monitoring outings with students this fall. All student members will join Sierra Club and Trout Unlimited and participate in Fishing Day events co-sponsored by the Department of Game and Fish.