Case Studies

Seymour College Waterwatchers

Monitoring Site

First Creek, Hazelwood Park (Torrens Catchment).

Information about the group

The Seymour College Year 10 Geography class has had a continuous and strong involvement in a variety of Waterwatch activities. The "Snapshots" water quality monitoring program has been a focus for the school with the long term testing of water quality at First Creek, Hazelwood Park. Seymour College was established as a Waterwatch group in August 1995, making them one of the longest serving groups in the KESAB Patawalonga and Torrens Waterwatch program.

Why they got involved in Waterwatch

The teacher (Heather Williams) chose to get involved in Waterwatch because of the practical nature of the program, and the field work that it involves. She enjoys giving her students the opportunity to participate in hands on programs and feels they really benefit from the experience. Heather has also found that involvement in Waterwatch at a Year 10 level provides a nice lead in to Year 11 and 12 studies.

Encouraging her students to connect with their environment has been a real driving force for their involvement. Participation in the program has allowed for a variety of learning outcomes, including:

• Recognising and understanding the impacts and consequences of human activities on water catchments.
• Working as a group towards improving local catchment health and water quality.
• Skills in collecting, analysing and interpreting water quality data.

Achievements or activities

Achievements

• One of the biggest achievements of this group has been meeting up with the Year 5 class and teaching them all about water quality monitoring - giving them an understanding of catchments and stormwater, and teaching them to use each piece of monitoring equipment and understand the results. Linking in with different age groups and encouraging 'students to teach students' is often the best way to cement the knowledge in the minds of both groups.

Activities

• Gutter Guardians - have had media coverage including a large photo and article in "The Advertiser."
• Raising awareness among the local community of water quality issues, and encouraging attitude and behaviour change towards the local environment.
• Conducting regular water quality monitoring (six times per year).
• Participating in the EPA Frog Census.
• Participating in the Aquatic Invertebrate Snapshot.
• Facilitating other class's involvement in environmental education at the Urrbrae wetlands.