This May and June were extremely busy for DRBC staff, who participated in several community outreach events throughout the Delaware River Basin. Staff enjoys getting out and engaging with our publics and stakeholders, educating about clean water and how we work to manage, protect and improve the Basin's shared water resources.

Connecting with folks throughout the Basin is important, not just to inform about what we do, but to talk about what they too can do to help keep our waters healthy and sustainable. We all need to work together to protect our shared water resources.

Check out below to see what we've been up to!

The DRBC team poses with HydroMania mascot Dewey. Photo by the DRBC.

HydroMania was held in May at Cedar Crest College, in Allentown, Pa.

This fun-filled water festival was attended by hundreds of 3^rd and 4^th grade elementary school students, teachers and chaperones. Students get to participate in a variety of interactive exhibits and learning stations, each of which answered a different water-themed question. 

DRBC staff helped the students answer the questions, "Do we live in a watershed?" and "How can we help keep our watershed clean?" using a map of the Delaware River Basin and the Commission's Enviroscape watershed model. The model helps teach about watersheds and demonstrates how what we do on the land affects our water. It is a great visual to show kids the connection between land and water. And, yes, we all live in a watershed!

HydroMania is organized by the Lehigh Valley Water Suppliers. The DRBC has participated in every HydroMania since the event began over 20 years ago, and we look forward to next year!

DRBC staff uses the Enviroscape to show how what we do on the land affects water. Photo by the DRBC.	The Enviroscape is a great way to show kids how we all live in a watershed. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff uses the Enviroscape to show how what we do on the land affects water. Photo by the DRBC.

The DRBC table at the Upper Delaware Shad Festival. Photo courtesy of Laurie Ramie, UDC.

Also in May, DRBC staff attended the Upper Delaware Shad Festival in Barryville, N.Y.

Staff highlighted our June business meeting that took place in Narrowsburg, N.Y. and the associated DRBC Food Drive, which collected donations for three Upper Delaware River food pantries, as well as how our water quality work helps keep the river clean for migratory fish like the American shad.

After the Shad Festival, an awards dinner was held and featured N.Y. Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, The Delaware Company's Debra Conway and Sullivan County Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz. We had a great time connecting with Upper Delaware partners, talking with community members and attending the awards dinner. Thanks for having us!

New York Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (NY-100) addresses attendees. Photo by the DRBC.	The Delaware Company's Executive Director Debra Conway. Photo by the DRBC.	Sullivan County Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz addresses award ceremony attendees. Photo by the DRBC.

Chester Mayor Stefan Roots (L) and DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini at the Chester River Fest. Photo by the DRBC.

DRBC staff were excited to participate in the 3rd annual Chester River Festival, which was held May 19 at Subaru Park Plaza, Chester, Pa. Staff enjoyed chatting with community members and meeting Chester Mayor Stefan Roots and the Exec. Director of the 9th Street Youth and Community Center Barron Lacy.

Planned by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and others, this free event featured food trucks, fun family activities, music, local community groups and environmental learning activities.

In addition to our popular shad and eagle baggo boards, the DRBC brought educational handouts about the Delaware River Basin and other fun giveaways such as bookmarks, reusable canvas bags and stickers. Festival attendees enjoyed stopping by and chatting with DRBC staff about the river, the critters that depend on it and our shared water resources.

This event offered the local Chester community a fun day outdoors, learning about the Delaware River through hands-on activities and experiences. The DRBC appreciated the connections made, not only with local community members but with our partners and stakeholders in attendance.

The DRBC's baggo boards are always a hit with the crowd! Photo by the DRBC.	Exec. Director of the 9th Street Youth and Community Center Barron Lacy (L) chats with DRBC's Steve Tambini. Photo by the DRBC.	The DRBC's baggo boards are always a hit with the crowd! Photo by the DRBC.

The DRBC table at World Environment Day. Photo by the DRBC.

In late May, DRBC staff participated in the Delaware River and Bay Authority's (DRBA) annual World Environment Day celebration, held at Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Del.

The event featured roughly 100 entities representing government, environmental groups and local companies, teaching about watersheds, green energy, recycling, air quality, climate change and so much more.

The DRBC table offered plenty of information on Commission programs, from water quality protection to water supply & conservation, as well as fun things like educational bookmarks, stickers and puzzles.

Located at the Basin's southern edge, Delaware knows all too well that what happens upstream affects those downstream. Staff who attended had a great time meeting people from the local community and talking about our work to manage, protect and improve the water resources of the Delaware River Basin.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, a key DRBC partner, also tabled World Environment Day. Photo by the DRBC.	It was a picture perfect day to celebrate World Environment Day! Photo by the DRBC.	Check out all the exhibitors! DRBC was proud to be a part of this event! Photo by the DRBC.

From L: DRBC's Avery Lentini Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, DRBC's Carl Bargery and DRBC's John Yagecic. Photo by the DRBC.

Another successful Trenton Youth Fishing Derby was held in early June at Stacy Pond along the banks of the Delaware River!

Partnering together, the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Trenton Department of Recreation, Culture and Natural Resources hold this annual event for local youth in grades 2-8. Free to participants and their families, the derby features education stations and a 1-hour period where the children fish for multiple prizes, such as first fish caught, most fish caught, largest and smallest fish and "strangest" find.

For our education station, staff brought along informative handouts on fish, the Delaware River Basin and the DRBC, as well as bookmarks, reusable bags and stickers. We also had a macroinvertebrate stamp activity for kids, where they could create art and learn about these aquatic critters. Macroinvertebrates live in the water (examples include mayflies, dragonflies and stoneflies) and are an important food source for fish. Some are very sensitive to pollution, making them good indicators of water quality; biologists study macroinvertebrates to help tell how clean our waterways are.

The fishing derby was catch and release; all equipment was provided for the students, and volunteers were on hand to help the kids learn how to fish and identify different species. The DRBC was proud to again participate in this great event that gives Trenton's youth an opportunity to get outdoors and learn to fish in their local community. Thanks for having us!

The kids are all ready for the morning welcome and to get fishing! Photo by the DRBC.	A mother and son stop by the DRBC table. Photo by the DRBC.	It was a beautiful day for fishing! Photo by the DRBC.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora (in blue) talks with DRBC's Avery Lentini. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC's Carl Bargery talks with a young Fishing Derby attendee about which macroinvertebrates are most sensitive to pollution. Photo by the DRBC.	It was a beautiful day for fishing! Lifeguards were on hand to assist the kids and keep them safe. Photo by the DRBC.

DRBC's Lulin Zhong at the DRBC information table. Photo by the DRBC.

DRBC staff had a great time at the Riverfront North Partnership's Fish Fest, held last month at the Frankford Boat Launch in Philadelphia, Pa.

This free event featured all sorts of fishing fun for families. DRBC staff brought a macroinvertebrate stamp activity, as well as informational handouts, stickers & bookmarks for kids and reusable bags. You may be saying macro-whaaa? Macroinvertebrates are bugs that live in water and have varying pollution sensitivities. Our staff wants to find a nice variety of bugs when we sample waterways, and especially a good variety of pollution-sensitive species. That means the water is clean! We had a great time talking with attendees about how our work helps improve our shared waters - for people but also for the fish!

The Riverfront North Partnership is an important partner in DRBC's Our Shared Waters network. Thanks for having us!

DRBC staff talk about fish and clean water with Fish Fest attendees. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff talk about fish and clean water with Fish Fest attendees. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff talk about fish and clean water with Fish Fest attendees. Photo by the DRBC.
DRBC staff talk about fish and clean water with Fish Fest attendees. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff talk about fish and clean water with Fish Fest attendees. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff talk about fish and clean water with Fish Fest attendees. Photo by the DRBC.

DRBC's Avery Lentini (L) and Namsoo Suk (R) at the DRBC information table. Photo by the DRBC.

The DRBC was proud to be an event partner & sponsor of Mercer County's Juneteenth Celebration, hosted by the African American Cultural Collaborative of Mercer County (AACCofMC), N.J. Legislative District 15 (Senator Shirley Turner, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds Jackson and Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli) and Mercer County.

The festivities were held June 15 at the Mercer County Park Festival Grounds. Numerous speakers took to the stage to welcome attendees, honor the ancestors of enslaved African Americans and formally kick off the event. The day featured live music, dancing, food and educational activities for the whole family. DRBC's table featured information about our work to manage, protect and improve our shared water resources, as well as some fun giveaways such as stickers, bookmarks and reusable bags.

We always enjoy participating in this important celebration and look forward to next year!

DRBC staff talks with folks at the Juneteenth celebration. Photo by the DRBC.	A view of the main stage from the DRBC table at the Juneteenth celebration. Photo by the DRBC.	It was a picture perfect day to celebrate Juneteenth! Photo by the DRBC.