Grade Eight Watershed Field Study - Michelle Huynh

Grade Eight Watershed Field Study - Michelle Huynh
Posted on 05/21/2019
A view of Elbow Falls in the Kananaskis.

On Wednesday, May 8th, grade eight students at SMS head out to the Kananaskis to test the water quality of the Elbow River starting at Elbow Falls and finishing at Redwood Meadows. Students collected data on the pH, turbidity, amount of dissolved oxygen, types of invertebrates, and the presence of nitrates and phosphates. On the way from Elbow Falls to Redwood Meadows, students stopped along the way to look at the different activities that could affect the water quality, including hiking, use of OHV (Off Highway Vehicle), golfing, oil and gas, agriculture and forestry.

Here is what Amy in grade eight had to say about the field trip:

Our watershed field trip was really fun and interesting! We did some dissolved oxygen tests, nitrate/phosphate tests, turbidity tests, etc. We also learned about the land impacts/uses, and how the headwaters of the Elbow River were more basic than, let’s say, the middle part of the Elbow. Something that was really interesting was catching different invertebrates and finding out what they’re called using an invertebrate key. For example, we learned that finding caddisflies in a certain body of water meant that the water quality there was good. Plus, the equipment that we used was the same equipment that actual water scientists would use - ones that would cost hundreds of dollars. Of course, we learned how to use those pieces of equipment before actually using them, or else there would be a higher risk of us damaging them. Even though we had to walk through mud, and work in rain (and hail), the field trip was still an awful lot of fun!

After heading back to the classroom, students will combine and analyze the data collected from the field trip, and examine how different industries and recreational activities could have affected the water quality in the area.

Michelle Huynh
Gr. 8 Teacher

 


    Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.