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Hillsdale Watershed Festival
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Since
1970, the month of April is a time to take action protecting the Earth and it's
resources. Each year April 22 marks the anniversary of Earth Day, the first
environmental celebration to promote awareness about environmental concerns and
to make the concerns a national priority. Earth Day is now observed by more than
500 million people in 175 countries worldwide.
Hillsdale Water Quality Project (Project) joins many local
organizations and agencies in celebrating Earth Day by hosting and participating
in student and youth activities within the community. The Project hosted the
Seventh Annual Hillsdale Watershed Festival, April 23, 2010, at the Spring Hill
Civic Center.
The school-based event attracts approximately 350 Spring
Hill Middle School and Wheatridge Middle School students, teachers and
volunteers. Representatives from various organizations and agencies provide
their expertise in hands-on learning activities to educate students about
watershed, water quality, water conservation and natural resources. The students
take notes on the activities they participate in and are tested in the classroom
on the material they learn during the event.
For more information about this event or to
provide an educational activity, please contact the Office at 913-829-9414.
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Fishing
Line Recycle Bins
Installed at Hillsdale Lake!
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Hillsdale Water Quality Project and Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks installed three monofilament, or fishing line,
recycling bins in March, 2009. Then, in March, 2010, Hillsdale Water Quality
Project partnered with the City of Spring Hill to install two more monofilament
recycling bins.
The monofilament
recycling bins' use is essential in keeping fishing line off the shores and out
of the water. This is a pilot program meant to create new opportunities for
Hillsdale Lake recreational users to actively improve water quality.
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The five bins provide
convenience at accessible sites. The Hillsdale Lake bins are located at the Jayhawker Boat
Ramp, Marysville Boat Ramp and the Spillway at Hillsdale Lake. The Spring Hill
bins are located at the Spring Hill City Lake and Melvin Murray Pond. Project staff
gathers, cleans and
submits the collected fishing line so that it will be recycled into items such
as: tackle boxes, underwater fish structures and other fishing related items.
Missouri Stream Team, in
partnership with Berkley Pure Fishing, donated the PVC monofilament recycling
bins to HWQP for use at Hillsdale Lake. The monofilament recycling
program was
funded by a Johnson County Stormwater Management Advisory Council Education and
Outreach grant funded through a Johnson County stormwater tax.
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Participants Collect Information About Rain Barrels
series of five, free rain barrel workshops were provided to Johnson County
residents this year. The workshops featured demonstrations by Hillsdale Water
Quality Project staff on how to make and use a rain barrel. Each household
participating assembled and took home one free rain barrel. Approximately 150
participants took home 120 rain barrels funded through this program.
A rain barrel is used to
store roof runoff by connecting the barrel to gutter downspouts. The collected
water is great for watering plants and gardens during dry times and saves on
water usage. A house with a 1,000 square foot roof can harvest 600 gallons of
water during a one-inch rainfall. Participants were encouraged to make more rain
barrels after leaving the workshop.
The workshops were held to educate homeowners about the importance of using rain
barrels: Spring Hill Community Center ~ April 7; De Soto Wastewater Treatment
Facility ~ April 14; Edgerton City Hall ~ April 28; Gardner Senior Center ~
April 29; and Spring Hill Farmer's Market ~ July 17, 2010.
More will be scheduled in the Spring of 2011 for Johnson County
and Hillsdale Watershed Residents.
Interested Parties may be asked to show proof of address.
For a List of Rain Barrel Supplies, Assembly Instructions
and Tips Click HERE!
Rain barrel workshops and majority of the costs are
funded by a Johnson County Stormwater Management Advisory Council Education and
Outreach grant funded through a Johnson County Stormwater Tax.
These reduced rate rain barrels are for Johnson County and
Hillsdale Watershed Residents Only.
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Home
School Program
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In
2008, Hillsdale Water Quality Project partnered with the Kansas Association for
Conservation and Environmental Education to provide
an event to train and engage home school parents in hands-on learning projects
from Project WET and Project Learning Tree environmental education curriculum
guides.
The "Home School Environmental Education Workshop and Festival",
a full-day event, was held on February 4, 2009 in Spring Hill. The workshop
offered the opportunity for local home school parents and youths to be involved
in environmental education activities to enrich their home curriculum.
During the morning session, home school parents
learned how to use and incorporate Project WET and Project Learning Tree into
their curriculum, while their children attended an educational water festival.
Representatives from the Kansas Rural Water Association, Kansas Department of
Health and Environment, Miami County Conservation District and the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks, educated the students about water, wildlife,
conservation and soil by providing hands-on activities.
Parents then used their knowledge in the afternoon to teach
their children hands-on, environmental education activities.
The home school program was sponsored by a Johnson County
Stormwater Management Advisory Council Education and Outreach grant funded
through Johnson County Stormwater Management Program.
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EnviroScape
Presentations Provide
Local Schools
and Organizations Nonpoint Source Pollution and Watershed Educational Tools
The EnviroScape is a three-dimensional,
interactive watershed model that includes a construction site, residential area,
forested hills, factory, and a lake. The model demonstrates the movement of
water through a watershed. Project Staff provide students educational resources
and discuss non-point source pollution and how to improve water quality. This activity is
popular with students, likely due to the cocoa and flavored drink mix used to
represent pollutants. This demonstration is available for K-8th grade students,
but is most often requested for 3rd-4th grade. The presentation requires fifteen
minutes to one hour, depending on the amount of detail preferred. Due to the
size of the model, this program is best suited for groups of 25 students or
less.
For more information, or to schedule your demonstration, contact
the Project office at (913)829-9414. |
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The Hillsdale Water Quality Project is funded by
local private, corporate and municipal contributions in addition to an EPA
Targeted Watershed Grant, and a Johnson County Stormwater Management Advisory
Council Grant funded through the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program.
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Event Promotions:
Stream Monitoring Press Release 2009
Monofilament Recycling Program Press
Release 2009
Home School Program Press Release 2009
Home School Flyer 2009
Rain Barrel Workshops Press Release 2009
Litter Clean Ups Press Release 2009
Hillsdale Watershed Festival Press Release 2009
Shawnee Mission Park Water Festival Press
Release 2009
Monofilament Recycling Program
Press Release April 2010
Monofilament Recycling Program
Press Release May 2010
Rain Barrel Workshop Press Release 2010
Spring Hill Litter Clean Up Press
Release July 2010
The Hillsdale Water Quality Project is funded by
local private, corporate and municipal contributions in addition to an EPA
Targeted Watershed Grant, and a Johnson County Stormwater Management Advisory
Council Grant funded through the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program.
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