Blue River Watershed Association

In 2017, BRWA's education staff conducted 207 water quality environmental programs throughout the five county Kansas City Metropolitan Area. Also in 2017, BRWA continued CPR: Communities Protecting Rivers project. A grant project funded the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation in 2016. CPR included working with two urban core communities, Seven Oaks and Marlborough, to identify, cleanup, and repurpose vacant lots to help reduce stormwater runoff to the Blue River. Residents also participated in TRUE Blue, attending water monitoring training, and conducting water tests on the Blue River. Through CPR, Seven Oaks was able to repurposing nearly 4 acres into a butterfly rain garden, wood-chipped walking trail, community orchard, and natural play area. Additionally, one of the four Seven Oaks lots had a vacant house that residents had been trying for six years to get on the city's demolition list. Through assistance from BRWA, the house was put on the demolition list and within three months was demolished. The community now has contiguous green space between Kennsington and Spruce. CPR proved to be a catalyst for this community and residents whom had never participated in community improvement efforts came outside and helped when they witnessed the efforts and progress of their neighbors. CPR helped to meld this mixed-race community as the minority white residents contributed and assisted in the efforts of the African-American residents for the first time. Marlborough's community faced a variety of different problems including vandalism, and lack of interest in participation. However, Marlborough was still able to repurpose three lots into pocket parks and neighborhood revitalization. BRWA continued to improve and build on its infrastructure throughout 2017 including, writing new policies and guidelines for staff, and garnering legal assistance in gaining Service Marks on several of its key educational programs to protect intellectual property.

Macro Critter Count is fast becoming one of BRWA's most popular environmental programs for students in 4th Grade and above. This hands-on program is the scientific study of Benthic macroinvertebrates (or water bottom-dwelling invertebrates that are visible with the naked eye), or in a simpler word, macros. Macros are much like the old "canaries in the cave" as indicators for good, or poor, water quality simply by identifying their presence. Their life cycle is generally one to two years, so that any persistent pollution present in their habitat will reduce their numbers. Unlike fish, they are unable to move to another stretch of river to find a healthier home without themselves becoming a feast for an aquatic animal. Macroinvertebrates are easily collected and identified. BRWA instructs students on the reasons to study macros, habitats for different species, and identification techniques. The next day, students are taken to the nearest stream, or pond. Macros are gathered by BRWA education staff and volunteers, and students are led through the identification process. The collected macros are identified and counted, leading students to realize the water quality of the study site. BRWA education staff then discuss with students how the pollution may have gotten into the water, and what measures can be taken to remediate the pollution. Eighteen classes of macros were taught in 2017. This two-day program has double the impact on students and their outdoor, hands-on, science experience!

TRUE Blue continues to be the banner program for BRWA. TRUE Blue is a four-lesson, four-day program geared for 6th Grade and above. Lesson one is on watersheds, stormwater runoff, point and nonpoint pollution, chemical pollution, and the impacts that people have on their waterways. For lesson two, students are taught the proper safety and testing protocols using a professional HACH water quality test kit in the classroom using tap water; HACH kits are provided by BRWA. Lesson three is a trip to the nearest river, stream, or pond where students test the water quality using the HACH kit. Back in the classroom for lesson four, BRWA instructors show students how to take the raw data they gathered at the river and using charts, graphs, and mathematical equations gain the Water Quality Index number. For many urban core students, TRUE Blue is the first experience at a riverbank. Many students claim this is a life changing experience. For each TRUE Blue program scheduled, this comprises four days of teaching by BRWA staff - that's four environmental education touches per student! All BRWA education staff are certified teachers. BRWA was able to purchase of state-of-the-art equipment with Vernier water quality test probes to bring TRUE Blue further into STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). BRWA experienced a record-breaking 146 TRUE Blue programs during one school year. This constitutes nearly 600 classroom and river lessons taught by BRWA staff.