Waters Going On?

There is a misconception among Idahoans that our environment is static.

We are blessed with roaring rapids and
beautiful brooks, but we cannot just
leave them be if we want high quality
water to remain a reality. Maintaining
water quality necessitates consistent
monitoring and care.

Reality Check
Unfortunately, this comes at
a time when very few students are given the opportunity to see the changes
in their local environment.
Public
school
science
courses are simply allotted
the space granted to them on
a limited budget. Teachers are
required to stick to a strict curriculum, which leaves little room
for expansion outside of assigned-textbook material. In addition, the ever-increasing high school enrollment rate
has left schools scrambling to acquire
and conserve the materials necessary
for a students quality education
Idahoans depend in the sciencon streams as their es. Virtually
no students
source of drinking
are
shown
water
the
impor-

250,000

tance of storm water run-off, and the

pollutants that it carries into our local water supplies. Very few know
about the impacts of snowmelt, and
how playing with snow helps us
determine the quality of water that
flows through our rivers and streams.
This lack of inspiration to physically
see for themselves the crucial processes
that go into maintaining water has left
future generations hanging high and
dry (literally and figuratively). Maintaining water quality necessitates consistent monitoring and care.

What is IDAH2O?
Idaho has been given a great gift in
our natural environment, but,
like all good things, it will not
last unless it is maintained.
IdaH2O has taken on that
task. As both a hub for volunteerism and community
education, IdaH2os mission is to spread the word
about the importance of
our waters quality. By
supporting IdaH2O, you can
secure a future of high water
quality and a well-educated
state.
IdaH2O has been at this since 2010, but
their passion for their cause extends all
throughout our state. This relatively
new organization has already affected thousands of individuals and only
keeps setting the bar higher. IdaH2O
is conscious of how precious a resource
water is and faces this complicated
problem with knowledge and passion.

Our Cause
Water quality needs to be continually
evaluated. The problems that plague
water are not one and done. They
are the product of several small compounding issues. Regrettably, no one
has all the answers, but IdaH2O knows
where to look.
Storm water is a significant threat to
stream quality; it originates from rain
or melting snow that is not immediately
absorbed by the ground. Unfortunately,
it runs across parking lots, parks, and
the like, collecting pollutants that are often carried to rivers, lakes, and streams.
Moreover, storm water is never cleaned
at wastewater treatment plants, meaning that any pollutants that enter storm
drains are also entering drinking water
sources. 250,000 Idahoans depend upon
streams as their source of drinking water. Furthermore, Idahos economy relies heavily upon agriculture, ranching,
and a variety of other water-based industries.

IdaH2Os Master Water Stewards are

part of the solution to this problem.
By testing stream sites, Master Water
Stewards can identify pollutants in our
valuable water resources. Furthermore,
they can accomplish this regardless of
previous experience. IdaH2O trains all
volunteers, from students to those who
havent had a science class in twenty
years, in the Master Water Stewards
Program. Not only does this contribute
to a healthier environment, but it educates the public about vital water quality issues.

Water is
the driver of
nature.

Teachers
in
Northern Idaho are frequently unprepared
to effectively
-Leonardo da Vinci
teach science,
and
IdaH2O
fills that knowledge gap for many educators and students alike. IdaH2O provides teachers
with relevant knowledge, so that they
can pass it on to their next generation
of students Two-thirds of leaders in
STEM professions cite an inspirational
experience as a major factor for their
continued interest. By providing them
with opportunities to learn about water
quality issues, IdaH2O is promoting an
interest in STEM programs.

Equipment Needs
Unfortunately, IdaH2O struggles with
equipment necessities. In order for volunteers to more effectively assess water
quality, probes capable of more specific
measurements are required.

New activities are constantly being

added to the program to increase surface water knowledge, which means the
need for equipment is greater than ever.

When dealing with water, miniscule

changes can drastically affect quality
assessments. IdaH2O faces an additional problem since their organization also focuses heavily on education.
Teaching Idahos youth about water
science requires addiof
students in Northern
tional mateIdaho qualify for
rials like test
reduced or free lunch
tubes or miprograms. Many of these
croscopes.
students could never
I d a H 2 O afford educational trips
to to the mountains
m a i n l y
without IDAH2Os
teaches in
assistance.
areas
of
Northern
Idaho, where 43% of students qualify for
reduced or free lunch programs. These
students are likely unable to afford the
sort of educational opportunities that
IdaH2O offers (trips to the mountains
to study snow science, examining a
variety of organisms from stream ecosystems, etc.). To maximize the environmental
education
of Idahos
youth, IdaH2O needs
to continue
to provide
test tubes,
petri dishes,
and other
basic educational tools.

43%

Typical Items Needed

250 mL Bottle:
Transparency Tube (60 cm):
Meter Tape (100/30m):
CHEMets DO Kit:
Thermometer (Farenheit):

$4.55
$40.95
$26.50
$50.25
$11.80

How You Can Help

Help educate the youth of today and
the citizens of tomorrow about the importance of Idahos quality water resources! At face value, a twelve-pack
of Master Steward workshop kits runs
at $235 per workshop. This value is
dwarfed by the educational turnover
that an individual workshop affords
its students and volunteers. Teachers
train students, students become volunteers, and volunteers become stewards (or certified authorities) of Idahos
precious water resources. This succinct
model provided by IdaH2os programs
will contribute to the expansion of the
agencys mission: to educate the publicat-large about the quality of its water
resources.
IdaH2O also encourages new volunteers. If you would like to become a Master Water Steward or otherwise help the organization, visit
www.uidaho.edu/cda/idah2o.

Contact IDAH2O
1031 N. Academic Way,
Suite 242 Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
Phone: 208-667-2588 | Toll-free: 888-208-2268