RAFT stands for River Assessment Field Team, a citizen science program organized by the White River Alliance where local residents help gather local water quality data.
Once a month, teams of volunteers gather for about 4 hours to collect water samples in one of three areas along the White River or its tributaries in Marion or Hamilton Counties.
The RAFT program helps agencies like the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) by filling in knowledge gaps, targeting pollution hot spots, and measuring trends over time.
The sampling results are publicly accessible through the RAFT interactive data studio.
Something for everyone
Anyone 18 years of age and older with moderate physical fitness can become a RAFT volunteer by completing the 2-3 hour online RAFT training program. No prior experience with water sampling is necessary.
Businesses can sign up for a corporate event and enjoy an afternoon of team building and community service.
Additionally, volunteers can participate in the yearly habitat assessments. At these events, teams will be grading the environment in and around streams through a Visual Assessment and by conducting a Citizens Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (CQHEI).
Consider becoming trained as a RAFT volunteer today to help protect the quality of our water in Marion County!
