06-11-2005, 09:34 PM
May 11, 2005 - More than 2,500 students throughout Oakland and Macomb counties were searching for signs of life in the Clinton River Watershed last week during the Clinton River Watershed Council's (CRWC) Stream Leaders river monitoring program.
The program fosters education while providing valuable information to water quality scientists.
About five students from Pierce Middle School in Waterford Township participated in the monitoring on Tuesday, May 3.
"Students are always engaged and more excited about education when you can make education come alive," said Tracy Beasley of the CRWC. "By taking them outside, their education can become very concrete. In addition, they know what they are doing provides information that can help the community keep track of the watershed."
Students evaluated the amount of erosion and sedimentation at each monitoring site; performed tests to measure the levels of nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen and temperature; as well as identified the type of aquatic macroinvertbrate communities living in the Clinton River. Over 25 different sites were monitored within 17 communities, including sites along Stony Creek, Paint Creek, the Red Run Drain, Galloway Creek, the river's North Branch and Middle Branch, and the main Clinton River.
Students will develop a Community Action Project based on their spring and fall monitoring results. They will share the results and projects at the annual Stream Leaders' Student Congress in November at the Macomb Intermediate School District.
The CRWC will also be hosting a Saturday, May 21 educational workshop from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Drayton Plains Nature Center, located at 2125 Denby in Waterford Township. Individuals can call 248-674-2119 to register.
The workshop will include discussions about how everyday actions, such as landscaping, gardening, septic maintenance and other off-water activities influence the health of the watershed. The council will highlight the seven simple steps to clean water, which include:
• Keeping storm drains clean;
• Fertilizing sparingly and caringly;
• Carefully storing and disposing household hazardous waste;
• Properly cleaning up after pets;
• Practicing good car care;
• Choosing earth-friendly landscaping; and
• Conserving water.
A watershed is the area of land that captures rain or snowmelt and eventually drains it into a lake, river or stream. There are five major river watersheds in Oakland County, including the Clinton, Huron, Flint, Shiawassee and Rouge. Each is made up of several smaller subwatersheds.
The Clinton River watershed covers 760 square miles, with the Clinton Main subwatershed covering approximately 70 square miles, including Pontiac Creek, Galloway Creek and a portion of the Clinton River. The Clinton Main Subwatershed includes the communities of Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Township, Keego Harbor, Lake Angelus, Oakland Township, Orchard Lake Village, Waterford Township and West Bloomfield Township.
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The program fosters education while providing valuable information to water quality scientists.
About five students from Pierce Middle School in Waterford Township participated in the monitoring on Tuesday, May 3.
"Students are always engaged and more excited about education when you can make education come alive," said Tracy Beasley of the CRWC. "By taking them outside, their education can become very concrete. In addition, they know what they are doing provides information that can help the community keep track of the watershed."
Students evaluated the amount of erosion and sedimentation at each monitoring site; performed tests to measure the levels of nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen and temperature; as well as identified the type of aquatic macroinvertbrate communities living in the Clinton River. Over 25 different sites were monitored within 17 communities, including sites along Stony Creek, Paint Creek, the Red Run Drain, Galloway Creek, the river's North Branch and Middle Branch, and the main Clinton River.
Students will develop a Community Action Project based on their spring and fall monitoring results. They will share the results and projects at the annual Stream Leaders' Student Congress in November at the Macomb Intermediate School District.
The CRWC will also be hosting a Saturday, May 21 educational workshop from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Drayton Plains Nature Center, located at 2125 Denby in Waterford Township. Individuals can call 248-674-2119 to register.
The workshop will include discussions about how everyday actions, such as landscaping, gardening, septic maintenance and other off-water activities influence the health of the watershed. The council will highlight the seven simple steps to clean water, which include:
• Keeping storm drains clean;
• Fertilizing sparingly and caringly;
• Carefully storing and disposing household hazardous waste;
• Properly cleaning up after pets;
• Practicing good car care;
• Choosing earth-friendly landscaping; and
• Conserving water.
A watershed is the area of land that captures rain or snowmelt and eventually drains it into a lake, river or stream. There are five major river watersheds in Oakland County, including the Clinton, Huron, Flint, Shiawassee and Rouge. Each is made up of several smaller subwatersheds.
The Clinton River watershed covers 760 square miles, with the Clinton Main subwatershed covering approximately 70 square miles, including Pontiac Creek, Galloway Creek and a portion of the Clinton River. The Clinton Main Subwatershed includes the communities of Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Township, Keego Harbor, Lake Angelus, Oakland Township, Orchard Lake Village, Waterford Township and West Bloomfield Township.
by [url "http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=Kevin%20Elliott&-nothing"]Kevin Elliott[/url]
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