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DRBC Goes to Camp, Teaches Kids About Pollution Prevention & Water Quality

Outreach is an important strategic goal of DRBC. Getting out of the office and connecting with the public helps share information about the commission and the Delaware River, as well as encourage stewardship of our shared water resources. 

Recently, staff visited three different summer camps hosted by Newtown Township's (Pa.) Parks and Recreation Department to talk to the kids about pollution prevention and water quality in the Delaware River Basin. Staff had a great time visiting these camps and talking with kids not only about what we do to manage and protect the water resources of the Delaware River, but also about how they too play a role in keeping the basin's waterways clean.

Camp Beechtree & Playground Camp

Using a map of the Delaware River Basin and the commission's Enviroscape watershed model, staff helped the kids attending Camp Beechtree (ages 4-6) and Playground Camp (grades 1-5) answer the questions Do we live in a watershed? and How can we help keep our watershed clean?.

While the concept of a watershed was a bit advanced for the Camp Beechtree kids, they learned about where does the water go when it rains and the importance of not littering through a coloring activity coupled with the Enviroscape demonstration. 

The Enviroscape model is a great tool to show different sources of pollution found in runoff especially after heavy rains. The model is always a hit with kids, especially younger children, as it demonstrates in a visually engaging way the connection between land and water and gets them thinking about how they too can help keep the river clean.

DRBC's Kate Schmidt (leaning down) uses a map of the Delaware River Basin to introduce the Beechtree campers to the watershed. Photo by DRBC.The Camp Beechtree kids had fun coloring a picture of different animals playing in a clean river. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Donna Woolf begins the Enviroscape lesson explaining how the model shows a community: a housing development, farm, roads, and, of course, waterbodies! Photo by DRBC.While coloring, the campers were asked to tell us how they enjoy the river. He was excited to talk about fishing with his family! Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Denise McHugh uses the Enviroscape model to show how pollution can get from the land into the river when it rains. Photo by DRBC.
DRBC's Denise McHugh uses the Enviroscape model to show a group of Playground Camp kids how pollution can get from the land into the river when it rains. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Denise McHugh uses the Delaware River Basin map to explain what a watershed is. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Kate Schmidt talks with another group of Playground Camp kids about the Delaware River Basin. The map is a great tool to teach about watersheds, as well as basic geography. Photo by DRBC.After the Enviroscape demo, DRBC's Kate Schmidt asks the campers what they think they can do to help keep their waterways clean. Look at all those hands! Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Denise McHugh and Kate Schmidt (back row, 3rd and 4th from L) are all smiles as they take a photo with the Playground Camp kids. It was superhero day, and many were happy to pose in their full regalia. Photo by DRBC.
Teen X-Treme Camp

Staff also visited the township's Teen X-Treme Camp (grades 6-9) to provide an interactive lesson on the different biological and chemical parameters we monitor to manage and protect the Delaware River's water quality.

For the biology lesson, staff brought in a sample of macroinvertebrates (aquatic bugs) they collected from the Delaware River earlier that day. Using identification keys and with the help of DRBC staff, the campers identified the bugs found in the water samples. The hands-on lesson explained that the type and amount of these organisms found in a waterbody can help indicate its water quality. Some bugs, for example scuds, water pennies, and even crayfish, are sensitive to pollution; others, such as leeches or aquatic worms, are more pollution tolerant. Finding more pollution sensitive species in the water samples, which we did on this day, is a positive indicator of how clean the river is. 

For the chemistry lesson, staff brought in a water sample collected earlier that day from the Delaware River. Using a probe and an iPad, campers were able to read real-time data collected from the sample. Parameters monitored by DRBC include temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen levels; staff explained to the campers why these parameters are important and what they can tell us about the health of the river.

DRBC interns Vicki Trucksess (L) and Scott Jedrusiak scout out a good location to collect macroinvertebrates from the Delaware River near Scudders Falls. Photo by DRBC.To collect macroinvertebrates, a net is placed in the river and the bottom is disturbed to move the bugs into the net. Photo by DRBC.DRBC intern Vicki Trucksess (L) checks out what they collected. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Vicki Trucksess checks out a crayfish she caught in the net. Crayfish are sensitive to pollution, so finding them in the river is a good indicator of water quality. Photo by DRBC.Using the Delaware River Basin map, DRBC's Kate Schmidt (leaning over) introduces the Teen X-Treme campers to the watershed. Photo by DRBC.DRBC staff placed a water sample in trays for the campers to find and identify the macroinvertebrates collected. Photo by DRBC.With the help of DRBC's Kate Schmidt, the Teen X-Treme campers identified different bugs found in the water samples. Photo by DRBC.
DRBC intern Vicki Trucksess begins the chemistry lesson by explaining how and why we collect chemistry data. Photo by DRBC.DRBC intern Vicki Trucksess demonstrates how we use the probe to collect chemistry data from a water sample. Photo by DRBC.Campers were able to check out the equipment and read the data values from the Ipad; the tablet is connected wirelessly to the probe, automatically importing the data to a spreadsheet. Photo by DRBC.Campers were able to check out the equipment and read the data values from the Ipad; the tablet is connected wirelessly to the probe, automatically importing the data to a spreadsheet. Photo by DRBC.Campers were able to check out the equipment and read the data values from the Ipad; the tablet is connected wirelessly to the probe, automatically importing the data to a spreadsheet. Photo by DRBC.