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SPS Advanced Water Team

The Advanced Water Team Program, supported by the WELL Project (Water and Energy Learning Lab), was developed for interested students to participate in research and monitoring programs on watersheds in our community while at the same time providing our partnering agencies with quality data on creeks and rivers in the region.

Currently the high school level teams (grades 9-12) specialize in water quality, in-stream habitat/riparian assessment, and well water testing. Over the past 10 years we have expanded the program to include middle school (grades 7-8) teams who participate in on-the ground riparian restoration and monitoring projects.

Goals of Our Program:

  • Develop and implement long-term watershed monitoring programs in collaboration with the Mckenzie Watershed Council and other local and state entities interested in protecting water resources in the community.
  • Provide students with an in-depth understanding of the issues and current methodology for  collecting high quality data related to water resource management.
  • Develop and maintain a state-of -the-art water lab to support the program.
  • Produce high quality, reliable data using small teams of students that are engaged throughout their time at high school (and in some cases middle school).
  • Tailor our programs to the needs of our partnering agencies.
  • Serve as an outreach tool to private stakeholders to engage them in watershed protection and restoration work.

 

 

In Stream Aquatic Survey Team

The in-stream habitat team uses a modified version of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Aquatic Inventories stream survey protocol. This survey method determines the viability of streams for fish populations and identifies sites that could be improved through riparian restoration efforts or other measures such as large wood projects. The protocol we have developed has been modified to conduct surveys with 10-14 students. We have adapted several measures that improve the accuracy of our data including using measurements over estimates for many parameters and multiple measures for some of the data points.

To obtain pdf copies of data sheets for in-stream habitat assessment protocols click here

Examples of Past Student Projects:

2016 Lake Creek Pre-Assessment, Siuslaw Watershed

2016 Soda Fork Creek Poster Report, Lower Santiam Watershed

 

 

Water Quality Team

We currently have 2 water quality teams operating from Thurston and Springfield High School and collecting monthly data (9-12 months out of the year) from different basins including: Cedar Creek, The Springfield Mill Race, and the South Fork Mckenzie River basin. We test for the following physical and chemical parameters:

  • Dissolved oxygen
  • % saturation
  • Nitrates
  • Nitrites
  • Nitrogen
  • Ammonia
  • Reactive phosphorus
  • pH levels
  • Conductivity
  • Turbidity
  • Fecal & E.coli bacteria
  • Flowrate  (cubic meters per sec)

 

 

Other Environmental and STEM Projects

Middle School Restoration Project

The goal of the Middle School Restoration Team program is to engage students in on-the-ground field/stream monitoring and land restoration work. Students either participate in the program on or off-campus throughout the school year. All four SPS middle schools participate in this fun and enriching field program. 

The Wind and Water Turbine Project

The Wind/Water Turbine Project is a hands-on project designed to develop an understanding of the role renewable energy can play in the mix of electricity production worldwide and their potential to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Students build a working wind/water turbine and have the option to manipulate several variables to increase the overall power output of their device.

This program is now offered as a training with a complete kit to individual teachers or schools. Please contact us if your school would like to borrow a water or wind turbine kit with training and instructions.