NewsDrop-August-2024

EOC WATER QUALITY ACTIVITY

By: EAA EOC Education Outreach Staff

EOC’S NEWEST ACTIVITY to Educate All on Water Quality

Students use thermometers to measure the temperature of Edwards Aquifer water.

Visitors to the EOC can learn about water quality using a variety of instruments and measurements.

Students step up to test several cups of water.

Sarah Valdez demonstrates a simple pH Probe. Students use simple probes to test Water Quality.

All of our lessons are meant to be fun and engaging and are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) set forth by the Texas Educa tion Agency. One of our most popular lessons has been Limestone Testing, in which students investigate a variety of rocks to distinguish which one is limestone. Students utilize the scientific method and measuring, observing, and writing skills when studying the various rocks they are presented with. The latest activity, the Edwards Aquifer Water Identification Lab, developed by EAA Education Staff with input from EAA Aquifer Science Staff, involves similar skills applied to water samples. In this newest lab, students visit ing the EAA Education Outreach Center (EOC) will be able to test different

liquids to determine which sample could be water from the Edwards Aqui fer. Students will measure and record the pH, temperature, conductivity, and other properties of liquids using simplified versions of water-quality equip ment that EAA staff use out in the field. In addition to the hands-on fun of conducting a science lab, school groups with older students will learn what the different types of measurements mean, what can cause measurements to differ, and why Edwards Aquifer Authority regularly monitors and records water-quality data for our regional springs and wells. Testing the quality of Edwards Aquifer water is essential to know the health of the aquifer and to help identify and trace contaminants in the Aqui fer system. Moreover, this activity will help students visiting the EOC discover

and create connections between what they learn and its relevance: why does water quality matter to them?

The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) has always been a leader in aquifer education. From visiting classrooms to hosting groups of students in a variety of venues, EAA Education Staff has developed lessons, games, and activities centered on a better understanding of this precious resource.

Most organisms on Earth—from humans, flora, and fauna worldwide, to the threatened and endangered species only found in the Edwards Aquifer— can only survive in or drink water within specific ranges of pH, conductiv ity, and other water quality measurements. August is Water Quality Month, making it the perfect time to create awareness that water quality is crucial year-round and globally. The EOC Edwards Aquifer Water Identification Lab is the perfect addition to help educate the next generation about this precious natural resource.

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