Roanoke Valley Students To Participate in Water Monitoring Day

Middle and high school students from 13 schools in the Roanoke Valley will participate in Virginia water monitoring efforts on October 15, in recognition of World Water Monitoring Day. Students and teachers will monitor water from streams in the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County.

The Western Virginia Water Authority spearheaded area school participation in water monitoring day, obtaining free water monitoring kits provided by the U.S. Geologic Survey and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and coordinating monitoring assistance to teachers and students. Using the water monitoring kits, students will measure the dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature and pH of streams. Volunteers and staff from Virginia Save Our Streams, the Upper Roanoke River Roundtable, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Roanoke County and the Water Authority will assist monitoring efforts. At some sites, students will also learn how to assess the health of streams by identifying the aquatic macroinvertebrates that inhabit them, such as dragonfly larvae.

On Saturday, Oct. 16, Virginia's Explore Park will host a free "Water Monitoring Celebration," from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will display area students' water monitoring results. This celebration also will serve as the Roanoke Regional Stormwater Public Forum. Area localities and organizations will be present with booths and information on stormwater quality improvements, and how all citizens can help protect stormwater quality. Water-education activities will be available for children and adults and macroinvertebrates will be on display as well.

For more information on World Water Monitoring Day, visit http://va.water.usgs.gov/watermonitoring04.htm or contact Carol Davit at 853-1315.