measure the muck: community science in virginia
Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting efforts to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.
Gather your test tubes and grab your gloves, it’s almost time to Measure the Muck!
Measure the Muck is a volunteer-based community science flood sampling program hosted by Old Dominion University. This event is organized by Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Fellow Alyssa Bucci, a master’s student at ODU, and she needs your help.
The Hampton Roads region faces the impacts of sea level rise and land subsidence, which together worsen tidal flooding. These floodwaters often contain bacteria and nutrient concentrations that can reach unsafe levels. However, because this water is not consistently monitored, the public remains largely unaware of the risks of interacting with it.
“There are downstream impacts to those nutrient loads for all of the people that rely on the Bay for the fishing industry or for recreation,” Bucci said.
Bucci’s research aims to change that. By studying nutrient and bacteria levels in floodwaters, she is revealing how those factors impact the public and Chesapeake Bay. Her work also contributes to improved datasets that will help inform future regulations for nutrient inputs into the Bay. To gather enough data, Bucci relies on volunteers to join her in the field.
“We are garnering lessons from volunteer’s experiences and addressing something that is affecting their daily life,” Bucci said.
The Measure the Muck program began in Norfolk, Virginia, but has since expanded its sampling sites in the Hampton Roads region to include Poquoson and Gloucester County. Sampling occurs during the highest tides of the year, known as King Tides, which only last a few hours. Because of this short window, having as many volunteers as possible is critical for collecting enough data before the water recedes.
Volunteering for Measure the Muck not only supports efforts to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality, a resource Hampton Roads communities rely on, but also raises public awareness about tidal flooding through an opportunity to serve their community.
“It connects people more with their community, and for the people who really are impacted, it gives them a sense of agency being able to do something about this prevalent issue,” Bucci said.
This community science event builds awareness of tidal flooding, teaches safe behaviors around floodwaters, and gives people the chance to contribute directly to research that supports healthier communities and a more resilient Chesapeake Bay.
“We are garnering lessons from volunteers’ experiences and addressing something that is affecting their daily life,” Bucci said.
Measure the Muck events will occur on September 13th and October 11th, 2025. To volunteer, complete the Catch the King Interest Survey and answer “Yes” to participating in Measure the Muck. You could be one of hundreds of invaluable volunteers collecting floodwater samples that will help improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
“This is a big issue,” Bucci said, “but everyone can have a hand in doing something about it.”
Photos by Lathan Goumas and Alyssa Bucci
Story by Bayleigh Albert | Virginia Sea Grant
Published August 20, 2025.
“This is a big issue, but everyone can have a hand in doing something about it,” Bucci said.
