Frequently Asked Questions

What will this information be used for?

All of the data will be used to support SSI's mission of advancing understanding and stewardship of springs ecosystems. 

I don't know much about springs-dependent species, which seem to be a pretty important reason for spring stewardship. How can I learn more?

Thanks for asking! Check out this page to learn more.

I only hike on the same trails everyone else does. Surely I can't contribute much, right?

Wrong! There are so many springs along the named trails in GRCA, and the data collected in each survey will be different at different times (depending on recent weather or disturbances, as well as wildlife that may be visiting). Our goal is to have 10 surveys at each spring. As long as it is accurate, all data is good data, and extremely valuable.

I have data to sync, but keep getting an error message. What should I do?

First, please take a screenshot and send it to Jeri, along with the spring name of your recently added data. It might have synced properly, and your device is getting stuck.

The data I collected uploaded properly, even though I can't see it. How do I get the app to stop telling me there is new data to sync?

From the app's home screen, select "Manage" from the main menu. Select "Remove" - you will be given options. Remove features only, then download "Imagery with labels" again, which should show as on your device. This will just reset the data, without going through downloading the whole map again.

The spring I'm looking at isn't on the map, but the map is showing one about a hundred feet away. Should I add a new spring, or add a new survey for the existing one? Should I just move the spring on the map instead?

This is a great question that will come up a lot, and doesn't have a cut and dry answer. Often, springs will occur in clusters, but it is coming from the same source. If it looks like the water is meeting the surface at the same elevation and contact between layers (often the case in seeps and hanging gardens), you can likely consider it the same spring, and just add a new survey. Again, photos are really useful!

If you are very sure that a spring is in the wrong place on the map, you may move it. 

I found a new spring! But there are several fields I'm not sure how to complete. Like, what are the different spring types?

Your latitude and longitude will be recorded automatically. You can learn more about spring types here. And if you don't know something, don't let that stop you. The nature of citizen science is that we gather the information that we need collectively. If you aren't sure, it is better to leave it blank that to make a guess. The next person that completes a survey might be able to fill it in for you.