The Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) was initiated in January 1990 to provide monitoring of the French Broad River watershed in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Since that time, the program has expanded from 27 sites in one North Carolina county to 127 sites on 82 streams, rivers, and lakes in North Carolina and Tennessee. Sampling is carried out monthly at all sites.

The VWIN is extremely cost effective because samples are taken by community volunteers and analysis is conducted by advanced undergraduate researchers under faculty supervision. Local, trained volunteers are responsible for collection and delivery of samples, and analysis is provided at low cost by the University of North Carolina at Asheville/Environmental Quality Institute laboratories using EPA-certified laboratory analysis methods. The laboratory conducts analysis for twelve parameters including various nutrients and heavy metals. Annual statistical analyses are provided by the University to all interested groups and citizens. In addition, monthly data summaries are provided to the funding organizations. This program has been highly successful in identifying and quantifying point and non-point sources of pollutants, and the information developed has been used extensively by local governments, environmental groups, commercial interests and private citizens.

With the growing citizen interest in the quality of local water resources and frequent shortage of funding for watershed monitoring, this program provides a creative approach to developing reliable water resource information at minimal cost. The Environmental Quality Institute welcomes the opportunity to provide this laboratory and data analysis support to any interested group in the Southeast United States. VWIN technical reports may be ordered through EQI for $10 each.