Chances are, if you quizzed a group of twenty adults, very few, if any, would be able to define stormwater, let alone discuss the implications and management of it. Thanks to at least two elementary and middle school programs in Kentucky and Washington, stormwater awareness, however, is increasing.
In Ellensburg, Washington, elementary school students were given a first-hand look at sweeper trucks and participated in a show-and-tell of stormwater samples. The program, “Water on Wheels” aims to educate students about water and how to keep it clean via demonstrations, games, and other activities.
Another education effort in Murray, Kentucky, brought a class of eighth grade students to a local creek for a stormwater quality field day in which they learned about watersheds, drains, soil erosion, and macroinvertebrates. By teaching students about stormwater pollution and best management practices like wetlands, rain gardens, and rain barrels, the various sponsoring conservation groups hope to raise awareness of stormwater initiatives early on. Every year the students at Murray Middle School participate in this field day, with last year’s activity including building a rain garden.
For more information about both of these programs, visit http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/familyandeducation/third-graders-learn-about-stormwater/article_57a5f62c-5658-11e4-a593-4308bdba2a7f.html and http://murrayledger.com/news/students-learn-about-stormwater-quality-at-field-day/article_26d1cf64-566f-11e4-9e30-af39caba651f.html
