Intro to Watersheds and Water Pollution
This lesson introduces students to scientific models that help them conceptualize watersheds and their importance for managing nonpoint sources of pollution (pollution picked up by rain as it flows over the ground). Students will be able to:
- Construct and test a model of a watershed.
- Trace the connection of their watershed to the Grand River and Lake Michigan.
- Identify nonpoint sources of pollution and their relative impacts in various parts of the Lower Grand River Watershed.
Resource Links
The number and letter codes preceding the title of each resource listed corresponds with the number and letter codes used in the text of the lesson. Please let us know if any of the links are broken and we will fix them as soon as possible.
Extensions:
Extension 1A- MDEQ Nonpoint Source Pollution https://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3313_71618_3682_3714—,00.html
Extension 1B- University of Maryland Extension https://extension.umd.edu/agsploration/download-curriculum.
Extension 1C- Whatzzzup-Stream? https://water.epa.gov/learn/resources/midsh/what.cfm.
Extension 1D- Discovering the Watershed Lesson Plan https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=FNR-476-W#.Vh6eQG7G-pQ.
Extension 1E- An Introduction to Michigan Watersheds https://www.miseagrant.com/product_p/michu-12-412.htm.
Extension 1F- topoView https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/maps/TopoView/viewer/#4/39.98/-100.06
Extension 1G- MEECS PBS LM https://wgvu.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/meecs-water-quality/#.WTW5iesrKos
Links:
Link 1A- Adopt Your Watershed https://water.epa.gov/action/adopt/index.cfm
Link 1B- After the Storm https://water.epa.gov/action/weatherchannel/
Link 1C- A Very Impervious Situation https://glaquarium.org/resources/a-very-impervious-situation-an-introduction-to-stormwater-runoff/
Link 1D- GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute https://www.gvsu.edu/wri/isc/lower-grand-river-watershed-management-plan-312.htm.
Link 1E- How to Build a Watershed Model https://www.creekfreaks.net/sites/default/files/attachments/How%20To%20Model%20Watershed.pdf
Link 1F- Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW) https://www.lgrow.org/
Link 1G- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) https://www.michigan.gov/nps
Link 1H- Nonpoint Source Kids Page https://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/kids/
Link 1I- Plaster Creek Stewards https://www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/pcw
Link 1J- Surf Your Watershed www.epa.gov/owow/surf/
Link 1K- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency https://www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/activity_grades_9-12_buildyourownwatershed.html
Link 1L- West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) https://wmeac.org/water
Link 1M- WikiWatershed https://wikiwatershed.org/
The Communities for Clean Water videos and lessons plans were created in partnership with WGVU and the GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute. They were made possible through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.