Water watch

Equipment:

Clear container,

Scoop net,

Ice-cream container,

Plant / animal books.

Pen paper

Waterway Health Score Sheet.

Activities

1. Land use: Walk around the area surrounding your waterway.  Record land uses that you see or land uses that you are aware of in your local area.
2. Litter: make notes on the type of litter floating on or near the water or on the surrounding land. (include litter such as leaves, branches, scats..)
3. Pipes and Drains: look for pipes, drains or trenches leading into your waterway. Examine what’s coming out of them (Smell, sight) record how many there are and make notes on what you think they are there for.
4. Extra structure / modification: In addition to pipes and drains,  record the presence of any artificial  modification of the water flow.
5. Smell: Sit by the waterway and record any smells. Take a sample of water and record its smell (don’t taste it). A strong natural smell in wetlands and estuaries should be recorded as a 6 or more.
6. Water clarity: Collect a water sample in a clear container. Hols it up to the light.  Record how clear the water sample is.
7. Vegetation: look at the banks and land extending away from the waterway.  Note if the vegetation is natural or introduced. Is the soil eroded or stable?
8. Invertebrate animals: Sit by your waterway and look for invertebrate animal activity. Run a scoop net through the water and see if you can catch insects or other invertebrates.
9. Vertebrate animal life: Sit by your waterway and look for vertebrae animal activity.  Note both the variety and number of birds. Look for fish, listen for frogs and record any animal tracks.

Working in teams – go out into the area.  Write and draw about your activity.  Give a rating from 0 (bad) to 10 (great) – see score sheet.  Come back and present your results to other teams.

not sure where I found this but when we used it we had to illuminate  some of the activities when we were with the younger aGuides.  aThe older aGuides enjoyed the activity as they could work in patrols then compare their results.