Onesquethaw-Coeymans Stream Monitoring
The Onesquethaw-Coeymans Creek is an important natural resource in the county,
supporting a high diversity of plants and animals and feeding the Vly Creek reservoir.
This two-year project on the creek, started in the fall of 1998, provided a unique
opportunity for students to learn about NPS pollution, water quality indicators
and stream monitoring. Students from local schools who participated in this monitoring
project conducted chemical tests on the stream water, identified macroinvertabrates,
and learned how to use the data they collected to assess water quality. At the
end of the project, the students presented their findings to the town boards in
the watersheds and the ACWQCC.
In addition, the grant also provided for the purchase of 6 temperature loggers
to provide data for ongoing monitoring and a groundwater model to demonstrate
the effects of nonpoint source pollution on groundwater.
The hard work and dedication of the teacher who lead this project resulted
in a model for teaching about water quality and stream sampling. Working with
local schools and students helped raise community awareness about the importance
of watershed management and preventing NPS pollution.
