<p>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Eli_2.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 188px; float: right;" />If you grew up in Michigan, or any of the great lakes states, you know that water, by virtue of its shear abundance, is an extremely important resource. Every season of the year people are interacting with Michigan&rsquo;s plentiful freshwater in different ways. From the long days of summer spent lounging in the lake to the frigid days of fall casting to silvery specters in the stream. It is true that we Midwesterners love our bodies of water. But during my time as an intern at Au Sable I came across another way to interact with the wet world that we love that is educational, fun, and beneficial for the environment. It is called the volunteer stream-monitoring program!</p>
<p>
	For several years now Au Sable has been participating in the MiCorps volunteer stream-monitoring program. Working in partnership with the DEQ, local municipalities, and several non-profit organizations, Au Sable&rsquo;s stream monitoring program works to collect important water quality data on the Upper Manistee River through the help of volunteers. This is a lot of work and it would be very difficult to get done if they didn&rsquo;t have the help of many volunteers from all walks of life.</p>
