Volunteer with LJEA

As a mostly volunteer driven organization, LJEA relies on a strong volunteer base to help us accomplish our mission. It is estimated that volunteer contributions to the organization total over $80,000 in monetary value. LJEA is always looking for volunteers to fill a range of different roles, all of which help achieve program goals and keep the organization running smoothly.

Click here for Upcoming Volunteer Events.

Click here to Record Your Volunteer Hours with LJEA

Kids in the Creek

Volunteers are needed to assist with classroom and in the stream activities. No experience is necessary! Help educate our youth on the importance of environmental stewardship and get your feet wet at the same time!

Contact: Sophie McCarthy, [email protected]

Water Quality Monitoring

Join our sampling team and help provide the data that makes up the backbone of the organization! Samples are taken monthly at 14 different sites throughout the watershed. A 2020 goal is to see the sampling program expanded into the Linville River. For more information or to volunteer:

Contact: Bob Brendle, [email protected]

Trash Reduction

Volunteers are needed to participate in lake and tributary cleanups, as well as keep LJEA's stretch of "adopted" roadway clean.

Join a Committee!

LJEA is always looking for members with relevant skills and experience, enthusiasm, and a commitment to protecting our waterways to serve on our committees. Our committees are the driving force behind the organization, and with an ambitious strategic plan in place for the next five years, we need motivated people to help us accomplish our goals. Currently, we are looking for help on the Community Engagement Committee, the Education Committee, and the Advocacy Committee. If you are interested in helping us achieve our mission by joining a committee, please contact Chip Whitfield at [email protected].

Watershed Studies

Volunteers interested in the upcoming LJEA assessment can assist in a variety of stream related tasks. Opportunities include performing biological assessments by collecting aquatic insects from streams around the watershed. This will help rate the water quality in the Lake James watershed. Additionally, volunteers may perform stream habitat assessments in order to measure the availability, variety, and quality of aquatic habitats. These assessments are used to measure changes of in-stream habitat throughout the watershed. Volunteers will be provided a one-day training session by ecologist Levi Reece in order to learn how to perform these important tasks. Training will occur at the beginning of April with field sampling occurring mid-April to mid-May.

Contact: Marshall Taylor, [email protected]

Bottom Mapping

The original goal of the Bottom Mapping Program was to monitor the bottom as it changes over time:

Monitoring sediment buildup in various areas of the Lake.
Observing how the Catawba River channel changes over time.
Mapping the bottom hardness in river deltas (an indication of the type and age of sediments).

This program was discontinued in 2019 due to lack of volunteers. LJEA wants to refine the objectives of the program and restart it with a focus on assisting lake front property owners and helping everyone understand the impacts of development and erosion control on their lands. Please let us know if you are interested in assisting us.