Put on your lab coat. The James River Association (JRA) is seeking volunteers to join the James River Watch team, a weekly program dedicated to monitoring river quality throughout the summer, but you don't have to be a scientist to qualify.

Local volunteer training sessions take place on Wednesday, April 29, and Thursday, April 30. Here's an added incentive: They're entirely virtual.

Help keep Richmonders safe at the river this summer. | Photo via James River Association

What you'll do:

First off, you don't have to sample every week. After determining your availability, JRA will help coordinate you with other volunteers to test bacteria levels and river conditions on three or four occasions throughout the season, which starts on Memorial Day to runs through Labor Day.

Volunteers typically sample on Thursdays, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., but flexibility on Fridays is possible, according to JRA.

See what you might learn along the way. | Photo via James River Association

How it will help Richmonders:

Testing results will help populate this online map with collection data relevant to recreational water areas such as Pony Pasture, 42nd Street, and Tredegar near Belle Isle. Results determine river safety conditions to inform the public ahead of each weekend.

Richmonders frequenting the river can also subscribe to receive test result emails, which are delivered each Friday throughout monitoring season.