CLEAN WATER CONGRESS 2008

Welcome to the 2008 Clean Water Congress. Please read the following information carefully.

Place: Darrow School, New Lebanon, NY
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2008
Time: 9am - 2pm (Bring your own lunch)

The success of the Congress, in part, depends on full participation by those attending. Participants should plan to attend the entire session.

The objective of the Clean Water Congress is to emphasize the importance of several aspects of scientific research: adequate preparation and training, fulfillment of study criteria, accuracy of data collection and documentation, analysis of data, and presentation of results. Although research is certainly competitive, the objective is not primarily to "win an award", but to do a job well, satisfy a scientific curiosity, and-hopefully-advance the good of mankind. To that end, we are challenging students to use their skills and intellect to participate in a condensed stream monitoring study.

This year's Clean Water Congress, we will conduct water chemistry tests and identify macroinvertebrates to determine the accuracy and precision of participant teams. Each team will be given a water sample and biological specimens (macroinvertebrates) for identification.

Participants are also invited to display, in poster form, and orally present the results of their own stream monitoring studies. Please note that participants must submit a report of their stream monitoring research to the Congress coordinator prior to participating at the Congress. The report should follow the format below. The intent is to involve students in the process of documenting scientific research. The entire report will be published on the Hudson Basin River Watch web site. Again, certificates of achievement will be presented to all groups who meet the poster presentation objectives.

Accuracy and Precision Assessment

Teams participating in the accuracy and precision assessment will:

1. Choose a level of macroinvertebrate taxonomy (order or family) and chemical analysis (tiers) by end of November 10, 2008.
2. Arrive at the Congress with the necessary equipment for water chemistry and macroinvertebrate analysis.
3. Conduct chemical analysis on a water sample. Possible tests include: dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, chloride, phosphates, and nitrates. Participants will execute the chemical studies that they are trained and equipped to perform.
4. Based on a given water temperature, calculate the percent oxygen saturation.
5. Identify macroinvertebrates (test your skills now).
6. Hand in the chemical and biological analysis conducted. The accuracy and precision of analysis will be evaluated.
7. Complete the analysis within the two-hour time limitation.

Level of chemical analysis (tier 1, 2, or 3) and level of taxonomy (order or family) will be pre-selected by each team before the Congress deadline. Once tier and taxonomy levels have been chosen, the team will be evaluated based on the selected level.

Participants are required to bring all necessary equipment to conduct all water chemistries and macroinvertebrate identification (chemical testing kits, field microscopes, hand lenses, tweezers, identification keys, texts, etc.). Lab tables, test water, macroinvertebrate samples, and worksheets on which to record the analysis will be provided. Two hours will be allotted to complete the chemical analysis, macroinvertebrate identification, and data sheets.

There is room for 10 stream analysis teams to participate at this year's Congress. All schools will be given the opportunity to register one team (of up to 8 participants); schools may request to register more than one team, but will only be able to do so if space is available at the registration deadline, on November 10th.

Teams will be evaluated on the accuracy and precision of their chemical and taxonomy analysis.

Poster, Oral, and Written Presentation Objectives

Teams participating will:

1. Submit a written study report to the Congress Coordinator by November 27, 2008, following the report format as described below. Send electronic submissions as an attachment in a word file or PDF program to jkn@rwaa.us.
2. Provide a poster (maximum size 36 x 48 inches) that includes the reason for the study, stream location, monitoring sites, data collected, and conclusions. The written report is not a part of the actual poster display.
3. Set up poster displays between 9 and 9:30 am, and keep posters available for review throughout the day. (Easels will be provided for the displays, but any special set-up requests must be made with the coordinator in advance.)
   

Each group may decide how to arrange and present its display (charts, maps, graphs, handouts). State officials will evaluate the displays based on written report, presence of appropriate data, content, and visual appeal.

The Oral Presentation Format

1. State your Hypothesis
2. Provide significant physical, chemical, biological, and bacteriological data
3. Provide a general assessment of the stream at each given test site
4. Provide the testing site/s overall water quality assessment
5. Possible explanations for findings (these will obviously be general, and should include potential point-source or non-point source pollutants)
6. Recommendations for future testing

Each team will be assigned a time to give its presentation, which may not exceed ten minutes in length. Participants must be prepared to approach the podium when called by the moderator. If the speaker is not prepared when called, the clock will start and the speaker will be given the allotted time to complete the presentation. The moderator will interrupt any presentation that exceeds the allotted time. There will be no time for "make-ups" if a speaker misses the allotted time. At the end of each presentation two minutes will be allotted for questions and answers. State officials will evaluate the the oral presentation based on the participants delivery, language, voice, etc., along with the overall conclusions of the study.

Students who are unfamiliar with documenting and analyzing their monitoring data may find review of the following studies useful: http://www.hudsonbasin.org/Bioassessmentreports.htm

The written report, executed exactly as directed below, is an integral part of the poster display and oral presentation portion of the Congress; a certificate of achievement will not be awarded to groups who fail to submit the report, and may not be given if reports are late or poorly written. Please remember, grammar and spelling are important, and count!

Written Report Format

1. Title Page The title should be 15 words or less and describe in some detail what the study assessed. It is not appropriate to title a study simply with the name of the river that was monitored. Include the institution or school name followed by the author(s) full name(s) on this page.
2. Abstract/Summary The abstract explains why the study was done (what was the problem, hypothesis, or reason for choosing to study this particular stream or reach of stream), gives a brief description of the tests performed, reports specific results that were found, and explains the significance of these findings. An abstract is basically "the study in a nutshell". Make it succinct--it should not be longer than 225 words.
3. Background This section gives the reader some information on the stream that was monitored. It must include the name and location of the stream, and may also include more detailed information about the stream's surrounding environment (including potential sources that may alter water quality), the watershed and other pertinent watercourses in it, and the stream's NYS DEC stream classification.
4. Results This section provides a narrative description of the data that was collected. It must include the location of the study site(s) and describe the data that was collected from each site.
5. Discussion This is the part of the study where you really have to think about the data that you obtained and give an explanation for why you found what you did. Sometimes it helps to reference more learned scholars when trying to explain the significance of findings-it's okay to do so as long as you give the more learned scholar credit (reference your sources!)
6. Conclusions/Suggestions Here you can make a list of what the data allows you to conclude (all conclusions must be based on evidence), or what you are not able to determine from the data that you obtained. You may also make suggestions for remediation of problems that you found or for additional testing that might be helpful in reaching further conclusions. Please keep in mind that normal findings or findings that do not support an initial scientific hypothesis are still significant.
7. Bibliography A properly formatted list of references.
8. Appendix/'s Data collecting methods, lists/charts of chemical, physical, and biological data, and any other supportive material.
   

Sample Reports: Click here

Registration

Teachers must forward the following information to the Congress Coordinator before October 31, 2008 in order to register for the Congress:

1. The names of the students who will be participating in the Mock Stream Analysis
2. The tests that the team will be able to perform, and at which tier level(s).
3. The names of the students who will be delivering the oral presentation.

**Also, please remember that the written reports, done according to format, for the poster display and oral presentation, are due on November 27, 2008.

Registrants will receive the following information:

1. Lab room assignment for the Mock Stream Analysis.
2. The scheduled time for each oral presentation.
   

The Congress will be held at Darrow School. Directions to Darrow School and map. The Darrow Schools Samson Environmental Center will also be open throughout the day for participants to visit.

We hope that you enjoy preparing for the Congress. We are excited about the format and look forward to seeing our students "take the challenge". If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact: J. Kelly Nolan, Congress Coordinator, by phone: 518-346-0225 or email: jkn@rwaa.us