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Spotlight- Student Watershed Learning Project, Presentations Highlighted In Butler County
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The November 12 edition of the Grove City Allied News included an excellent article by Monica Pryts detailing the research work and presentation of findings by students in Dr. Helen Boylan's Advanced Laboratory (Westminster College) course for chemistry and biology majors interested in stream pollution and remediation.
The De Sale Phase II passive treatment system in the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed in Butler County which relies on natural processes, such as wetlands, settling ponds and limestone drains to treat the highly acidic, metal-bearing, drainage from abandoned coal mining operations, was selected to provide the "hands-on" learning opportunity.
Ten Westminster College chemicstry/biochemistry majors presented water quality results at the November 10 meeting of the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition at Jennings Environmental Education Center. Their presentations included data on how much of a certain substance such as iron or calcium was found in their samples, which were collected in the field in October and analyzed in the lab at Westminster.
Their results confirmed that the De Sale Phase II passive treatment facility is functioning well, and their new data was enlightening, greatly appreciated, and vital to determining the continued performance of the 11-year old system.
The work of collecting and analyzing water samples to determine how well a passive treatment system is working often requires manpower and funding not readily available to volunteer-based organizations like the SRWC.
Hence the value of the partnership between Westminster College and the SRWC. College students from Westminster have been volunteering with the SRWC for six years.
"This is what we call service-learning," said Dr. Helen Boylan and mentioned how thankful she was to show her students "chemistry in action" at passive treatment sites, which have been visited by people from around the world. She also expressed her appreciation of SRWC members Wil Taylor and Cliff Denholm, who "have been instrumental in facilitating this service-learning project."
Wil Taylor, JEEC Manager, called the college-Coalition partnership "unique, interesting and rewarding." The SRWC is always looking for more volunteers to help out. Anyone can contribute to the effort! For more information, please contact Cliff Denholm at 724-776-0161 or Wil Taylor at JEEC at 724-794-6011. Thank you to Monica Pryts and Dr. Helen Boylan and a special thank you, to the following students for the positive, encouraging news from our watershed: Stephen Cornich, Daniele Figuroa, Jaimie Daum, Nicole George, Sarah Welsh, Hannah Anderson, Olivia Miller, Gavin Steadman, Mark Biedka and Kelly Cholewa.
(Reprinted from The Catalyst newsletter, Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition, January 2012 issue.)
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1/2/2012 |
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