CITIZEN GUIDE:  What Information You Can Collect and Record

If you have an environmental incident reporting form record your observations on it. Otherwise record your information on paper, on a tape recorder, video camera with sound, or digital camera with sound.

A good set of notes will provide a complete and accurate set of facts for others. Here is a basic checklist:

Location of observation (GPS coordinates if possible, otherwise note name of water body, city, state, country, distance from shore, distance from some know land mark, etc.

Owner of property from which discharge is coming (if known) and outfall identification if any.

Time and date of your observation. Be sure to note AM or PM and whether standard time or day light savings time.

Nature of observed material. Color, thickness, areal extent, distance downstream if possible, number of dead fish, odors, etc.

Weather conditions, air temperature, rain, snow, fog, etc.