With county grading inspectors stretched thin by a growing caseload, two waterkeeper organizations are training area residents to keep an eye on sediment and erosion controls at area construction sites.

The first class of about a dozen people met last month at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater for a two-hour session geared to turning participants into "mudbusters."

The West/Rhode and South riverkeeper organizations started the "Get the Dirt Out" teach-in to familiarize attendees with the basics: what's required of grading and building sites, and how to tell if something is awry.

"These are waters I used to swim in as a child," said trainee Bruce Taylor, 73, who lives on Bear Neck Creek off the Rhode River. "We used to jump off the dock and swim across the creek to Camp Letts. I've now got grandchildren down here and they can't do that. It's too scary."

His desire to do something about the condition of the waters he grew up along brought him to the training session, where he learned how to monitor part of the problem - runoff from construction sites.

"We want to make sure contractors and developers are following existing regulations and laws," South Riverkeeper Diana Muller said. "We're not out to 'get' construction companies. We just want to get the dirt out of our waterways."

They also said they want to help the county do its job.

"We want to cooperate with the county and be able to identify, evaluate and report failures to county officials," she said.

She said that under the federal Clean Water Act, no sediment or other element officially pegged as a known pollutant can be allowed to run into impaired waters. All county waterways are sullied by multiple pollutants like trace metals, nutrients and sediment.

Muller had met with Betty Dixon, director of the county Department of Inspections and Permits, before the session and said Dixon welcomes the help, "but she wants responsible help."

Dixon said it always helps to have extra eyes in the field to supplement the thinly spread county inspection corps. There are 18 grading inspectors covering the whole county.

"Having informed citizens out there is always a good thing," Dixon said. "I stressed with them the importance of getting accurate data so we don't end up on a wild-goose chase. More accurate information up front gets more rapid response."

Erik Michelsen, executive director of the South River Federation and one of the session's teachers, noted the county previously had been slow to respond to runoff and other complaints.

"We had problems in the past with county responsiveness, but now they seemed to have turned a corner," Michelsen said. "Inspectors have been good at calling us back."

He said the key is knowing what to look for at construction sites.

"Three primary elements to look for are proper construction entrance, working perimeter controls and soil stabilization," he said.

From there the class learned more specifics: No mud should be coming off the site at the entrance, silt fencing should be properly installed and maintained, and disturbed soil should be replanted or otherwise stabilized within 14 days.

Participants used an inspection sheet compiled by the riverkeepers as they watched a video of various sites and scored each for violations, some blatant, some more nuanced.

Those are the scorecards that will be used to check sites. A packet handed out included those and an official county "Request for Investigation" form that will be sent to the Department of Inspections and Permits.

"There has been enough pointing fingers and blame game going on with these issues," Muller, the riverkeeper, said. "It is time to work together."

The riverkeepers are ready to train more mudbusters, but no classes have been scheduled yet, West Rhode Riverkeeper Chris Trumbauer said.