Water Quality Testing: Thanks to the schools who are finding time to engage their students in water quality testing and submitting data to the River Detectives website. This testing is our program’s core activity and one of the best ways to involve your students, promote discussion, instigate inquiry, foster positive action and share your journey with the school and wider community.
If you are feeling less than confident with the testing reach out to your coordinator and/or remember that we have great little videos to demonstrate each test. Get out your gear, watch the video together and pause to complete each step. You’ll get your testing mojo back in no time !
General introductory video
Electrical Conductivity video
pH video
Turbidity video
Temperature video
Reactive Phosphorus video
Pesticides in our waterways: Some schools from around the state have added an additional citizen science activity to their regime, collecting monthly water samples between April-September for analysis of pesticides by Deakin University’s Pesticide Watch program. This is a pilot study being conducted by PhD student Brady Hamilton that will hopefully continue next year. If you would like to follow the program or contact Brady, check out their Facebook page.
To help you explore the issue of pesticides, their impact on waterways/humans and the alternatives to help us balance the needs of food production and environment check out the teaching resources that we have compiled for you.
Online Summit: Tomorrow is the last day to fill out a very quick survey to gauge the need for this event. We would appreciate your thoughts. Access the survey here
Round the regions:
North Central CMA region: Incursion bookings are coming in thick and fast. Schools in the lower Loddon / Gunbower catchments are learning about endangered fish specie Flat-headed Galaxia and families of River Detectives students are being invited to collect water samples for eDNA analysis to see if they can locate the ‘Ghost Fish’.
Corangamite CMA region: A collaboration with Ballarat Neighbourhood House has seen a number of Ballarat schools sign up for River Detectives and complete CCMA’s 2023 intake. School incursions are being rolled out.
North East CMA region: School incursions have begun with 4 schools booking in for a visit from Anna this term so far
Wimmera CMA region: Term 3 incursions are on offer – contact Jeanie if you’d like a visit
Melbourne Water area: No information available at time of sending this – stay tuned
