A hands on 15-hour community based water quality and monitoring short-course was delivered to citizen groups at six locations in the Pacific Northwest in 2000. The University of Idaho, Washington State University, and Oregon State University Cooperative Extension Systems, USDA-CSREES, and the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI) partnered in design, development, and delivery. This short-course increased participant understanding, awareness of water issues, and improved water-monitoring skills. A 17-module guide and an evaluation model were developed. This learning experience dramatically improved learners\u27 understanding of complex water resource issues and prepared them to plan, monitor, and assess local water issues
