Are Groundwater Level Data Collected by Citizen Scientists Trustworthy? A Cautionary Tale

Abstract

Public participation in groundwater projects is increasing, however, the efficacy of the data collected in such studies, is not well‐documented in the literature. In this study, the authors describe a citizen science project focused on measuring and recording groundwater levels in an aquifer and evaluate whether the groundwater data collected by the participants are trustworthy. A total of 31 participants were initially recruited to measure and record groundwater levels from 29 monitoring wells on a barrier island. Following recruitment, the authors provided training to the citizen scientists by introducing groundwater concepts, and showing the participants how to measure, record and report groundwater level data (over an 81‐day period) with an electronic water level meter. The water level data recorded by the citizen scientists (i.e., 35 time series datasets with over 450 unique measurements) were then compared to high frequency data recorded by automated water level loggers that were already deployed in the groundwater monitoring wells to assess the trustworthiness of the data. Trustworthiness was evaluated using measures of reliability (i.e., consistency in measuring the same thing), validity (i.e., degree to which results are truthful), and other standard graphical and statistical techniques. The results suggest that with proper training, guidance, and motivation, citizen scientists can collect trustworthy groundwater level data that could be useful for monitoring the sustainability of aquifers and managing of groundwater levels. It is noted however, that such positive outcomes require significant investments of time and effort on the part of the project managers.

The Role of Traditional Knowledge in Coastal Adaptation Priorities: The Pamunkey Indian Reservation

“…Tidal areas, such as the Albemarle Sound and Chowan River have increasing algal blooms [40]. Minor tidal flooding, also known as 'nuisance' flooding, is expected to worsen with wetlands, septic systems, wells, and roadways experiencing increased damage from salinity associated with more frequent and longer duration inundation [41,42]. Buildings at or below the tidelines are expected require relocation or demolition [38].…”

Groundwater Monitoring through Citizen Science: A Review of Project Designs and Results

“…It is to be noted that out of the seven Ethiopian cases, five correspond to the same region of Northwest Ethiopia and research project (Walker et al 2016; Haile et al 2019; Walker et al 2019; Ferede et al 2020; Gowing et al 2020). Also, in the United States, three cases refer to the Bogue Banks Coastal Groundwater and Stormwater Watch citizen science program (Manda and Allen 2016; Grace‐McCaskey et al 2019; Manda et al 2021), and two cases refer to the GET WET! Program (Thornton and Leahy 2012; Peckenham and Peckenham 2014).…”

“…However, data on groundwater quantity and quality are rather sparse in many world regions, as a recent overview by the World Water Quality Alliance (WWQA 2021) has shown. In addition, the installation and management of monitoring wells, automated water level loggers, and sustaining these extensive monitoring programs for long periods are immensely resource‐intensive (Manda et al 2021).…”

“…Against this background, research increasingly calls for new monitoring approaches, including citizen science monitoring (Baalbaki et al 2019; Manda et al 2021; WWQA 2021). Citizen science is often defined as “(t)he collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the general public, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists” (Oxford Dictionary 2020).…”

“…But while the literature on citizen science in water monitoring is increasing exponentially, reported experiences mainly focus on surface waters, specifically rivers and lakes (San Llorente Capdevila et al 2020; Fekete et al 2021; Walker et al 2021). If researchers report on their groundwater‐related experience, they refer to single case studies only, which are highly sensitive to context (Thornton and Leahy 2012; Little et al 2016; Baalbaki et al 2019; Jamieson et al 2020; Manda et al 2021). If a broader perspective on groundwater is provided, research focuses on specific types of citizen science, such as crowdsensing and respective challenges (Speir et al 2022).…”