Watershed Report Card Education Program

The Watershed Report Card Education program includes a two hour field trip that allows students to gain practical, hands-on experience in surface water sampling and assessing stream habitat conditions. A follow-up session is also held in the classroom where students use maps to evaluate the forest conditions of the watershed. Finally, students have the opportunity to discuss the results of their findings in a report card format and suggest potential actions to improve the environmental conditions of the area.

This program is ideal for senior level high school science or environmental classes.

Through hands-on investigation, analysis, and interpretation, students will be able to:
• develop an understanding of watershed management
• investigate water quality through hands-on analysis of water chemistry and aquatic biology
• examine riparian habitat conditions and adjacent land use
• measure and interpret forest conditions from GIS-created watershed maps
• assign grades to watershed components based upon pooled class results
• discuss local actions for improvement to improve the watershed grades

If you are interested in participating in the Watershed Report Card Education Program, please contact Betsy McClure at (519) 631-1270 ext.229.