The Bay Watershed Education and Training (BWET) "Get Outdoors!" GO! Program provides 4 th, 5 th and 6 th grade students with meaningful outdoor educational experiences that teach about the connectivity between people, watershed health and the ocean.

The 2007-2008 school year marks a second year of providing students at Valencia Elementary School in Aptos, with the program.

Landmark Elementary School in Watsonville is also benefiting from the GO! Program with their pilot year in 2007-2008.

The GO! Program reaches approxiimately 180 5th and 6th graders at Valencia Elementary and approximately 210 4th and 5th graders at Landmark Elementary.

Through hands-on lessons and activities, students gain technical water quality monitoring skills, learn about pressing environmental issues, and become empowered to make a difference in their community.

This year's students will:

• Learn to observe their surroundings and record their observations in field books
• Learn to use scientific instruments and water quality monitoring equipment
• Conduct water quality monitoring in the field
• Record data
• Learn to identify native and non-native species in the riparian corridor and
• Assist in creek habitat cleanups

Students conduct water quality monitoring on Valencia Creek at Valencia Elementary School, and Struve Slough at Landmark Elelmentary School. Testing parameters include:

• air and water temperture
• electrical conductivity
• pH
• dissolved oxygen and
• turbidity or transparency

Dissolved Oxygen is the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water. It is important in water systems because most aquatic organisms need oxygen to survive and grow. As temperature decreases, more oxygen can be dissolved in the water. Dissolved oxygen is measured in parts per million (mg/L), but can also be expressed as percent saturation. The Water Quality Objective for Cold Water Fish Habitat states that the dissolved oxygen level should not fall below 7.0 ppm (mg/L).

Electrical Conductivity is the ability of the water to conduct an electrical current. Conductivity is affected by water temperature and the concentration and charge of ions suspended in the water. Geology of the area, changes in pH, and increased erosion affect the concentration of these substances in the water.

Conductivity levels vary with water source: groundwater, water drained from agricultural fields, municipal waste water, rainfall. Therefore, conductivity can indicate groundwater seepage or a sewage leak.

Conductivity units are microSemens (uS) or micromhos/cm (u mhos/cm), which are equivalent.

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) the water is. pH of

water affects suitability of the aquatic environment and influences chemica lreactions and biological processes. pH is important because:

• at extreme ends of the pH scale (2 or 13) physical damage to gills, exoskeleton and/or fins occur

• changes in pH may alter the concentrations of other substances in water to a more toxic form
• it affects chemical reactions inside aquatic organisms

The Water Quality Objective for cold water aquatics state that pH levels should range between 7.0 and 8.5.

Temperature is one of the most important water quality parameters. Temperature affects water chemistry and the functions of aquatic organisms. It influences:

• the amount of oxygen that can be dissolved in water
• the rate of photosynthesis by algae and other aquatic plants
• the metabolic rates of organisms
• the sensitivity of organisms to toxic wastes, parasites and diseases and
• the timing or reproduction, migration, and aestivation of aquatic organisms.

The Water Quality Objective for cold water aquatics state that water temperture should not exceed 22.0 ºC.

Turbidity is the measure of the amount of suspended particles in the water, or water clarity. Algae, suspended sediment, organic matter and some pollutants, can cloud the water making it more turbid. Turbidity values can be expected to be naturally elevated during storm events. Measuring turbidity is important because:

• Suspended particles diffuse sunlight and absorb heat – this can increase temperature and reduce light available for photosynthesis
• It can be an indicator of erosion (natural or man-made). Sediment can clog the gills of fish, bury gravel beds (where fish lay eggs) and smother fish eggs and benthic insects.
• Sediment can also carry pathogens, pollutants and nutrients and
• Sediment can impair food gathering by visual feeders.

The Water Quality Objective for cold water aquatics state that turbidity levels should not exceed < 20 JTU.