Whatcom Conservation District - Edge of Field Monitor Internship

The district assists local landowners in improving their land use methods to benefit the natural environment of Whatcom County. One of the major resources the district is working to protect is water quality. There are many sources of water pollution in Whatcom County, but agriculture is the one that the district works with. Dairy production in particular is a major potential source of nutrient, fecal coliform, and sediment contamination. Pollutants that enter the Nooksack River pollute the bays the river drains into, which yields significant adverse effects such as those on shellfish harvest. The internship role included helping the district carry out multiple research projects, gather relevant information, and summarize data that will be later used to find significant results and advise decisions. The primary project that I worked on is Edge of Field monitoring. This project consisted of collecting surface runoff data from volunteering farms to investigate the effectiveness of different manure application practices.