|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Focus Watershed: Stone Creek of South Elkhorn The focus of this project is Stone Creek, a Fayette County tributary of South Elkhorn Creek. The South Elkhorn Creek watershed includes stream segments listed by the Kentucky Division of Water for various water quality impairments, including pathogen, nutrient and sediment pollution. The portions of the watershed within Lexington have also been subjected to significant streambank and habitat alteration. As part of the science curriculum at Montessori Middle School, groups of students have been measuring and assessing water quality, biology and stream geomorphic characteristics of Stone Creek. The students will continue to focus on learning and documenting the detrimental impacts of urbanization to the stream. In addition to assessing watershed characteristics, the students will be introduced to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a method to acquire watershed information and gain a visual perspective. Students will also work with Lexington-Fayette Urban County experts to identify the root causes of the high pathogen levels in the stream and implement a solution. In addition, students will collect sediment samples to assess aquatic habitat, evaluate geomorphic characteristics of the stream, propose stream restoration techniques, identify areas of invasive vegetation needing removal, and begin to introduce and label native vegetation. The students will also develop three training modules as outreach tools. A special edition of the school newsletter, focusing on stream-related issues, will be distributed to surrounding schools.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
