HRWC, FOTR will hold volunteer events April 21

The Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) is looking for volunteers for its annual River Roundup on Saturday, April 21.

The event allows volunteers to see a wide variety of aquatic insects, crayfish, and snails that make up the bottom of the Huron River food chain.

The presence or absence of these aquatic invertebrates reflects the quality of both the water and habitat of the river.

Trained volunteer collectors supervise the hunts at two stream sites. Volunteers help search for bugs by searching through stones, leaves, and sediment.

Pre-registration for the event closes on Monday, April 16.

Volunteers will meet in Ann Arbor before car pooling to streams in Livingston, Oakland, Wayne, and Washtenaw counties.

Two times are available to volunteer: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More information can be found at www.hrwc.org.

The Friends of the Rouge (FOTR) will also be holding its annual Spring Bug Hunt on April 21.

The FOTR uses all the data collected to track changes in river quality over time.

The event begins at 9 a.m. at the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Environmental Interpretive Center. Volunteers will be divided into teams of four to eight people and will travel to two sites to search for aquatic invertebrates.

Volunteers were asked to pre-register for the event, with registration closing on Friday, April 6.