StreamWatch Schools
Water monitoring and research form the foundation of The Watershed Institute’s efforts to protect streams and rivers in central New Jersey. We recently launched a new Watershed program we call StreamWatch Schools, a water quality monitoring program led by children. The program enables students of all ages to contribute water quality data to a central online platform and to download data from other schools and water monitors.
The StreamWatch Schools program engages elementary, middle, and high school students in water quality monitoring, data collection, and data analysis with the support of Watershed Institute Educators. Depending on your class’s specific needs, Watershed Educators provide in-class and/or streamside instruction to assist with data collection. Our aim is to create an accessible program that is flexible and customizable based on your interests and needs. The StreamWatch Schools Program features access to lesson plans aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, with detailed fieldwork procedures, community discussion boards, and a new, custom-built web-based platform for inputting, viewing, analyzing, and sharing water quality data.
Interested? Now what?
Take the first step by filling out the form below. We will reach out to you to customize your program get you signed up on our StreamWatch Schools Data Portal.
Step 1: Click here to start the process!
StreamWatch Schools Teacher Academy
The Watershed Institute offers a training program for teachers who are interested in offering the StreamWatch program to their students. Participating teachers have access to Watershed experts and data as well as funds for acquiring equipment. By the end of the Academy teachers can confidently:
- Assess stream water quality through a variety of criteria and techniques, going to three different levels of data depth.
- Discover the right testing equipment for grade level and budget.
- Engage students in real field science data collection and review.
- Join our NJ StreamWatch Schools Network and collaborate with other schools from across the state.
Sign up for StreamWatch Schools Teacher Academy
The new StreamWatch Schools Program is an offshoot of The Watershed Institute’s well established stream monitoring program. Since 1992, volunteers have assessed and documented water quality in the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed through our StreamWatch water quality monitoring program. StreamWatch measures the health of our water by testing water chemistry, measuring bacteria levels, and assessing the biological and physical health of our waterways. StreamWatch data helps The Watershed Institute better assess the impacts of pollution and land use on local streams and determine actions necessary to protect and improve water quality.
