Maine Watershed Web Launched
| A group of science teachers from Morse, Mt. Ararat and Brunswick High Schools received in depth training on regional watersheds as part of a week-long workshop initiated and hosted by the Bowdoin College Geology Department. The workshop fosters a unique collaboration between high school and college level educators, as well as an intellectual bond between the regional schools which are more often separated by athletic rivalries.
Bowdoin College Professor Peter Lea organized the June 25-29 workshop, funded by the Merrymeeting Bay Trust, with the intent to develop a watershed community dedicated to education, research and stewardship of Mid-Coast Maine watersheds. A number of governmental and nongovernmental agencies sent representatives to the program, enhancing relationships between the schools and communities. Rick Wilson, Executive Director of the Cathance River Educational Alliance (CREA), guided participants through CREA's beautiful Ecology Learning Center in Topsham and down to the Cathance River to "get their feet wet' testing various physical, chemical and biological water-quality indicators.
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 Prof. Peter Lea testing water depth: Mare Brook, Brunswick |
 Kick net collection of macroinvertebrates: Cathance River, Topsham |
Under the guidance of Jeff Varricchione of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and two Americorps volunteers, the group gathered water critters, known as benthic macroinvertebrates. The quantity and variety of species found is another way to gauge the health of the stream. Participants Glenn Evans, Diane Boucher and Mike Cooney of Mt. Ararat will continue to monitor water quality at the site, with their students in both curriculum and after school programs. Rod Melanson, Assistant Town Planner for the town of Topsham said that there is little data on the Cathance River. Contributions from the Morse team will be very helpful to the research community and ultimately to aid decisions that the Topsham Planning Department makes about development in town. |
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Alicia Heyburn, representing the Bath-based Kennebec Estuary Collaboration, will support Carolyn Nichols and Eric Varney of Morse High School on research focusing on Nequasset Lake Watershed, public water supply for the Bath region. The Morse teachers plan to incorporate skills learned at the workshop into their Environmental Science, Biology and Geology classes, and work with teachers from the Vocational, Middle and Elementary schools on age appropriate activities proving just how far reaching watersheds can be. |
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 Water quality testing at Mare Brook, Brunswick |
Teachers Pam Keef and Trent Hutchinson from Brunswick High School will research Maquoit Stream which runs behind their school. They plan to collect data throughout the year both during field trips and with automated data collectors. This research is useful to state and local planners, since Maquoit Bay has recently been designated as an Area of Ecological Significance by the Maine Natural Areas Program. Pam said, "This workshop has been helpful because we were able to practice field techniques that we'll use with our students. Also, this workshop is different from others I've attended because we will get continued support throughout the year from Bowdoin and CREA which will make it easier for us to keep this project moving forward." |
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This new community of watershed enthusiasts will define service-learning projects, collect and share water quality data and interact regularly in person and online via a website maintained by Bowdoin College called the Maine Watershed Web. Peter Lea said enthusiastically, "We hope the site will become the MySpace of watersheds - a place your day is not complete without." |
 Glenn Evans of Mt. Ararat and Eric Varney of Morse H.S. |
