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On Thursday, September 17^th, 2009, with the help of Keep it Clean Denver and Denver’s Public Works department, Gilpin K8 students, joined by Denver Councilwoman Judy Montero, gathered on the South Platte River to celebrate World Water Monitoring Day.  Led by staff and Youth Action Board members from FrontRange Earth Force, students joined tens of thousands around the world in water testing and pollution prevention activities in local waterways. 

“This point of the South Platte River is a special meeting point for many in the city of Denver, including people, businesses, and wildlife.  The significance of its importance will last for a long time and your act of preservation today will ensure the health of the river for generations to come.”  Councilwoman Montero kicked off the celebration by talking about her passion for rivers and their importance in Denver, the need for water monitoring, and the appreciation of the students’ concern and stewardship for the river’s well-being. 

Along the South Platte, the students took water samples and tested the health of the river by measuring the temperature, acidity, clarity and dissolved oxygen levels.  Students also had the opportunity to search for macro invertebrates in the river which also indicate the health of the river.  With the find of a three-inch long crawdad, the South Platte River is proving to be in good health!

 World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) is an international education and outreach program.  Volunteers from around the world collect data from their local water bodies and are able post the results in the WWMD database.  Students or concerned citizens can monitor their waterways from March 22nd to December 31st and still post data.  FrontRange Earth Force teamed up with The Cottonwood Institute to engage Gilpin students in building public awareness and involvement in protecting the South Platte River.  The students also reflected and shared with the group their passions for water. 

“This partnership makes sense.  Our organizations’ unique qualities complement one another, and the youth see the benefit in different stakeholders uniting for one cause,” says Ana Soler, executive director of FrontRange Earth Force.

Check out the WWMD website to discover the health of waterways around the world. www.worldwatermonitoringday.org

 

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A profile on volunteerism by students in the September 2008 issue of Family Circle magazine highlighted Earth Force and its efforts to encourage students to become engaged in their communities. You can read the article at newsstands now or view it online.

FrontRange Earth Force worked with democratic delegates on August 27th, 2008, as a part of DNCC's Delegate Service Day. You can read more about the event on our web page, at the PBS Online News Hour, on The Other 95% blog, and see a photo on Change/Wire.

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