Much of the soil within the 444-acre Mequon Nature Preserve is highly erodible and slow draining. Even an average rainfall can cause significant erosion that carries phosphates from fertilizer on neighboring farms into both the Menomonee and Milwaukee Rivers and, eventually, the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern and Lake Michigan. This project will allow the Mequon Nature Preserve to purchase water monitoring technology, train staff on standard operating procedures, and incorporate technology into their environmental science curriculum, resulting in more informed restoration activities and reduced nutrient loading into local waterways.