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Students from Digital Harbor High School joined Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) officials on October 16, to test local waterways for World Water Monitoring Day. Secretary Kendl P. Philbrick arrived by boat to meet State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick and about 45 Environmental Science and Advanced Placement Biology students at the Inner Harbor in the City of Baltimore. The group actively participated in the event by taking water samples along the shoreline and by boat.
“Students gain insight into the testing process that MDE uses to develop objective information needed for the assessment, protection, and restoration of Maryland’s waters,” said MDE Secretary Kendl P. Philbrick. “Results from Baltimore Harbor will put our state on the map as far as global participation.”
Water Quality Awareness for All
World Water Monitoring Day is an annual activity dedicated to increasing awareness of the quality of our rivers, lakes, estuaries and other waterbodies through hands-on monitoring and data reports. The project’s aim is to encourage volunteer monitoring groups, water quality agencies, students and the general public to test for and report on the four key water quality indicators.
A total of 47 countries were involved in World Water Monitoring Day in 2005, more than double the number that participated in 2003- the inaugural year. This year 4,917 monitoring sites were registered throughout the world. Including 3,867 (78.7 percent) sites in the United States, Taiwan (532), Australia (102), India (74) and Malaysia (31) led the efforts of all participating nations during the fall monitoring period in 2005. 6,565 World Water Monitoring Day test kits were distributed worldwide. The test kit contains a step-by-step instruction booklet, one set of hardware (collection jar, pH test tube, DO vial, Secchi Disk decal and a thermometer), pH and dissolved oxygen reagent tablets for 50 tests and a material safety data sheet.
“It is wonderful that MDE provides Maryland students the opportunity to use what they are learning in their environmental science and AP biology classes and apply it to true testing,” said State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. “I am continuously impressed by the on-going commitment our teachers have in providing the necessary tools for our students to be successful in and out of the classroom.”
Monitoring Kits Provide Data to Share
MDE provided schools across the state with simple water quality monitoring kits containing 50 sets of tests that students can use to gather data on four important measures of water quality – dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and turbidity. Each school will have the opportunity to upload their data to a special section of the MDE website to be added to data collected worldwide.
Results are On Line
Students can view the results of their work online and compare their findings with other students. The effort also complements Maryland’s commitment to promoting environmental education as embodied in the Chesapeake Bay 2000 Agreement.
MDE utilizes a number of scientific methods, including real-time monitoring networks and sampling, to collect water quality data and evaluate it to assure that waterways are safe for drinking water, swimming, fishing, industrial and agricultural uses.
Groups collecting data have until Dec. 18 to report their findings online at worldwatermonitoringday.org. All the data will be compiled and released in the annual World Water Monitoring Day summary reports, which will be available in early 2007.
Sponsored by America’s Clean Water Foundation, the International Water Association and a list of partners, World Water Monitoring Day has 24 coordinators, and sponsors. Partners include U.S. and international non-profit organizations, federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, businesses, educational projects, environmental and technical research foundations.
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