Environmental science in action: A water quality based service learning project

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Environmental science in action A water quality
based service learning project

• Sarah Cote
• March 25, 2008

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What is the project?

• Stream monitoring
• Chemical
• Physical
• Biological

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How did it come about?

• My interests
• Ivy Techs interest
• Searching for partners
• Hoosier RiverWatch Trainers
• SWEET

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What does the project include?

• Site selection
• Training
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Poster session
• Follow-up

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Site Selection

• Why did we pick these sites?
• Concerns?
• Educational Objectives
• Site selection
• Maps
• Land Use
• GPS

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Parameters Studied

• Chemical
• Dissolved Oxygen
• Orthophosphate
• Nitrate Nitrite
• Transparency
• pH
• Physical
• Habitat
• Pebble Count

• Biological
• Coliform Bacteria
• Benthic Macroinvertebrates
• Periphyton

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Training

• 2-3 classes
• In the field
• Group selection
• Students pick
• Pop quiz
• 4 question on each topic
• Draw names from a hat

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Data Collection

• Hoosier RiverWatch Method
• Other Methods

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Data Analysis

• Benthic Macroinvertebrates
• Score based on tolerance
• Ranking based on overall score
• E. Coli
• Percents
• Periphyton
• Dry weight
• Chemical
• Looked at each parameter individually

• Habitat Assessment
• Overall Scoring
• Pebble Count
• Percentage of pebbles smaller than size category

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Poster session
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Follow up paper

• New experiences
• Knowledge gained
• How both relate to the future
• What was best
• What needs improvement

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Why do the project?

• Benefits
• Ask the students
• Teresa Benassi
• Fall 2006
• Physical Monitoring
• Jay Snowden
• Fall 2007
• Biological Monitoring

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Challenges

• Making connections
• Pre-lab assignments
• Class size
• Weather
• Equipment
• Hoosier RiverWatch

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Money

• School
• Start-up money
• Grants
• Time
• Not equipment
• Student Government
• 1,300
• Partners?

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How can others get started?

• Hoosier Riverwatch
• Methods
• Equipment
• Watershed Groups
• Parks and Recreation
• Watershed groups
• Sites to monitor
• Local high schools/ elementary schools

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More Ideas

• Host a stream monitoring workshop
• Students prep and run
• Invite elementary Schools
• Stations
• Invasive Plants
• ID plants
• Map
• Work with public to remove
• ID guide to common invasive plant species in the
  county

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Thanks!

• Questions?
• Please check out the posters