With support from the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division, Bernalillo County Open Space and Water for People, students have performed water quality tests, planted trees and shrubs and explored the bosque through hands-on activities and guided nature hikes. Students have planted nearly 500 trees and shrubs, including cottonwood and willow poles, and native wetland plants, all while learning about the importance and inter-connectedness of our river and wetland ecosystems.

Topics and themes first introduced by knowledgeable guest speakers in the classroom were reinforced during the fieldtrip experiences.

During the fieldtrips, discussions, activities and observations on drinking water sources, storm water run-off, agriculture practices and water quality were combined with on-the-ground projects and experiences that helped to further connect RiverXchange students to their environment. Each student was provided a field journal where they recorded their water quality data, field observations and answered key questions. Students especially liked getting their hands dirty by planting native trees and shrubs, expanding their sense of ownership and commitment in helping protect the Rio Grande.

With more fieldtrips still scheduled before school is out, we’re looking forward to more great work and experiences from our RiverXchange field trippers!

In addition, RiverXchange has partnered with the New Mexico chapter of Water for People, who will provide water resources professionals to help us conduct water quality testing on our New Mexico-based field trips.

Water quality testing is a critical new component of the RiverXchange curriculum to be carried out on the field trip to a local river or important watershed feature. Field trips in New Mexico will incorporate hands-on lessons about wetlands, aquatic macroinvertebrates and water quality, and students will use a field journal.  In some cases, a service learning project will be included (e.g., tree planting or agricultural activity).

Water quality testing data will be submitted to the World Water Monitoring Challenge program, who has generously covered the cost of water quality test kits for all our partner classes.

Water quality testing enables students to learn first hand how (and why) scientists determine the health of a river using pH, temperature, turbidity and dissolved oxygen.  Students will also do pre- and post- field trip activities.  The goal is for students to understand how land use affects water quality and what the water quality data tells us about the ecosystem. Students will write to their “high tech pen pals” about their experience at the river, why we collect this data and what it means.

Earth is observed by an unusual species who tries to make sense of what is happening to a limited resource that humans and so many other life forms depend on.  The “small” humans demonstrate a much different level of understanding and action than their adult counterparts.  There is plenty of food for thought as viewers contemplate the illogic of it all!

Produced in 2011 by the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo and Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA), with script and editorial assistance provided by Experiential EE, LLC.  The video is included in the RiverXchange curriculum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcoQKMnaEhE

RiverXchange has partnered with the World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) Program to provide each RiverXchange partner class with one ”classroom” water quality test kit for use on the field trip — FREE OF CHARGE!

For New Mexico classes, our RiverXchange field trip coordinators will provide all supplies and instruction on the field trip.  We also thank Water for People folks in New Mexico, who stepped up immediately to ask if they can help out with the water quality testing.  Way to go!  Data collected on all field trips will be sent to WWMD by the RiverXchange team. 

World Water Monitoring Day™ is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.  In 2010, over 200,000 people in 85 countries monitored their local waterways.  Read more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcoQKMnaEhE