School Children Participate in Study of Water Use in New Hampshire Seacoast TownsWith snow covering the ground, water availability and conservation is probably not on people's minds. But this month, middle school students in 28 towns in southeastern New Hampshire will be thinking about water as they launch their participation in a water use study in the Seacoast area. Participating teachers will be receiving their student packets with instructions this week. The population of the Seacoast area has increased by 36 percent over the past 20 years, but the demand for ground- and surface-water resources for drinking, industrial, and other purposes has increased by 50 percent. To help better manage these resources, a collaborative study is being undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey, New Hampshire Geological Survey, New Hampshire Coastal Program, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to assess water availability relative to past, present, and future water demands. As part of this collaborative study, students in participating schools are being asked to contribute information about their family's water use and to increase awareness of water use in their community. Students and parents are encouraged to anonymously answer general questions about the types of water-using appliances and fixtures in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. This survey will be completed on-line through the NHDES Web site at http://des.nh.gov/survey/wateruse. "Students also will be asked to track the amount of water they and their families use for 4 weeks between February and April," said Marilee Horn, U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist and water use specialist. "The data collected by more than 1,600 students will be compiled by scientists and analyzed to determine if there are relations between water use, attitudes about conservation, and the whether the source of a family's water is from a private well or public supply," says Horn. Teachers participating in this project will receive free classroom materials and a free classroom visit from LifeWise Community Projects to further the understanding of the importance of ground-water resources in students' communities. Aquarian Water Company of New Hampshire has donated low flow restrictors for showerheads and faucets for families who become interested in conserving water as a result of their participation in the project. For further information about the Seacoast study project and the middle school project, visit the Web site http://nh.water.usgs.gov/CurrentProjects/seacoast. The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
Accepting their water-use project school packet from Marilee Horn, U.S. Geological Survey (left) and Nicole Clegg, NH Department of Environmental Services (center) are Epping Middle-High School students and teachers (l-r) Heidi Green, Marisa Bozek, Susan McCleary, Science Program Coordinator Don Bouchard, and Principal Michael Sanz. "Through this project we will be supporting our students' awareness and appreciation of water, the most precious natural resource in our community," says Bouchard. Epping is one of the towns in the study. **** USGS ****
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