EPA Event to Teach Students about Water Quality in Kansas City, Mo.

A team of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientists, high school students and Blue River Watershed Assn. volunteers is set to monitor water quality, examine aquatic life and clean up the local Indian Creek this Friday Oct. 7 in Kansas City, Mo. The outdoor classroom will be used to teach students how they can become involved in preventing pollution through environmental stewardship activities.

Approximately 30 Center High School students will be conducting 10 tests to pick up trash and determine the water quality of Indian Creek. EPA is working with schools to highlight the importance of water monitoring and give students the opportunity to collect measurements side-by-side with EPA scientists. The students also will learn about the stream's habitats and how various land uses and urban runoff can affect a watershed.

EPA is partnering with the Blue River Watershed Assn., a grassroots community organization that engages the Kansas City metropolitan community in protecting the Blue River watershed. The organization works with school districts in both Kansas and Missouri to teach students about the importance of good water quality to health, recreation and the quality of life in watersheds.

Throughout October, there will be a number of educational events taking place across the country. October is Children's Health Month, when EPA brings awareness to environmental issues such as watershed health, which is important to providing clean, safe water where Americans live, work and play.

Source: U.S. EPA