Become a Volunteer
If you want to get involved in the ARM Project, becoming a volunteer is a great way to contribute to water quality monitoring and environmental research. Click the button below to learn more about volunteering opportunities and how you can participate.
Understanding Acid Rain and Water Quality Monitoring
The Acid Rain Monitoring (ARM) Project plays a crucial role in tracking the long-term effects of acid deposition on Massachusetts' lakes and streams. By analyzing pH, alkalinity, and water chemistry trends, the project provides valuable data to assess environmental changes and inform conservation efforts. In addition to these core parameters, the ARM Project also monitors long-term sites for cation and anion concentrations and water color, offering deeper insights into changes in water chemistry over time.
This section provides access to the latest ARM Annual Report, historical and real-time water quality data, key sampling methodologies, and insights into the ongoing impact of acid rain in the region. Explore the resources below to learn more.
Explore key resources:
The latest ARM Annual Report reviews sampling results, pH and alkalinity trends, site changes, and acid deposition impacts on Massachusetts' waters. With 40,000+ records from 5,600 lakes and streams since 1983, water chemistry data is available via WQX on the EPA portal.
Find pH and alkalinity guidelines in Analysis Method, sampling data in Results, and reports in ARM Annual Reports.
Learn more about acid rain’s impact through Acid Rain in Massachusetts 1988 and Acid Rain: Scourge of the Past or Trend of the Present?.