Ogden Valley Watershed Watch
Watershed Watch: Two Ways to Get Involved
Whether you’re simply noticing what’s happening around you or ready to help monitor water quality, there are meaningful ways to support and understand Ogden Valley’s watershed.
Both of these opportunities are part of citizen science — where community members help build understanding of local conditions through simple observations or hands-on monitoring.
Protecting water in the valley doesn’t require specialized training. In many cases, it starts with something simple — paying attention.
There are two complementary ways to get involved, depending on your interest.
Ogden Valley Watershed Watch — a simple, local way to notice and share what you see
Utah Water Watch — a hands-on volunteer program focused on water quality monitoring
You can participate in either — or both here in Ogden Valley.
Start Simple: Ogden Valley Watershed Watch
Watershed Watch is OVWAG’s local, voluntary observation program. It encourages residents to notice and share what they see as they move through everyday life.
Whether walking near a stream, driving past a construction site, working land, or spending time around Pineview Reservoir, people are often the first to observe how conditions change across the landscape.
Participants are not collecting samples, testing water, or evaluating compliance. Instead, they simply share observations such as muddy runoff, visible erosion, unusual flow conditions, or shoreline changes.
Over time, these observations help build awareness, identify patterns, and support education and outreach efforts focused on protecting local water resources.
No experience is needed, and participation can be as simple as a quick observation.
Submit an Observation
Observations can be submitted using a smartphone or computer through simple forms.
The easiest way to participate is to download the CitSci mobile app and search for Ogden Valley Watershed Watch. That’s it! The CitSci Mobile App allows you to access all CitSci projects with your smartphone and submit your observations (even while offline!).
Simply go to the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, install the app and you're all set.
You can also upload an observation straight from you computer.
Go Deeper: Utah Water Watch
For those interested in a more hands-on role, Utah Water Watch offers a structured, statewide volunteer program supported by Utah State University Extension.
Volunteers receive training and collect water quality measurements at designated monitoring locations using standardized methods.
In Ogden Valley, there are currently 18 monitoring locations along the North, Middle, and South Forks of the Ogden River, as well as at Pineview Reservoir and Causey Reservoir.
Volunteers can adopt a location and help build a consistent record of conditions over time.
Different Roles, Shared Purpose
These two approaches are designed to complement each other.
Watershed Watch helps build awareness by encouraging residents to notice what’s happening across the valley — often before issues become more serious. Utah Water Watch provides measurement-based data at specific locations over time.
Together, they help create a more complete understanding of how water moves through Ogden Valley and how conditions change across seasons and landscapes.
A Small Thank You
As part of Citizen Science Month this April, OVWAG is offering a small monthly drawing as a thank you to those who participate.
Participants in Watershed Watch or Utah Water Watch may be eligible for a monthly drawing for gift cards from local Ogden Valley businesses.
Participation is always voluntary and focused on learning, awareness, and community involvement.
Start Where You Are
Whether you begin by simply noticing what’s happening around you or choose to take a more active role in monitoring water quality, your participation helps build a better understanding of our shared water resources.
Preserve. Protect. Restore.
Because the health of our water reflects the care of our community.