Last Updated: 2/14/17
Here you’ll find excellent resources for understanding and teaching watershed forestry. We have searched the web so you don’t have to! For additions or corrections, please contact Tyler Van Fleet, Watershed Educator at [email protected].
Start with the Watershed Forestry ESSENTIALS below for a collection of great resources that summarize the main themes of WAC’s watershed forestry education programs, including watershed form and function, the NYC Watershed and water supply system, and the role of healthy forests in protecting water quality.
1) Watershed Forestry Activity Kit
Explore this collection of 22 watershed forestry activities recommended specifically for before and after WAC Watershed Forestry Bus Tour trips.
2) PRESENTATION – Drink Your Trees: NYC Watershed Forestry Presentation
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
In this 28-minute recorded Zoom presentation, Tyler Van Fleet from the Watershed Agricultural Council uses pictures, maps and inquiry to explain watersheds, the NYC Watershed, NYC water supply system, critical role of forests in filtering and protecting water quality, and how WAC works to keep water clean and communities thriving in the NYC Watershed.
3) READING – NYC Watershed Forestry Blog Series
Written for middle-school readers and up, this 3-part series of short blogs introduces readers to fundamental concepts of watersheds (What is a Watershed & Why Should I Care), the NYC Watershed (The New York City Watershed Explained) and watershed forests (Woods Wash Water).
4) MAP – New York City’s Water Story: From Mountain Top to Tap
Use this excellent educational map of NYC’s upstate drinking water watershed and water supply system to understand the natural and human-made components of NYC’s water story. Use the accompanying Resource Guide for Teachers and Water Cycle Presentation to support your instruction and scroll down to “The New York City Water Supply System” tab for excellent background reading and materials.
5) MAP – Google Earth Tour of the NYC Watershed
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
Take a virtual journey from New York City through the NYC Watershed using Google Earth. Zoom to different natural and built components of the world’s largest surface water supply system and learn about its history, engineering, and how people and nature work together to deliver clean drinking water to 10 million New Yorkers while supporting upstate communities.
6) WEBSITE – NYC-H2O HUB virtual explorations of NYC’s water supply system
The NYC-H2O HUBincludes several interactive “story maps” that bring the operation and history of the NYC Watershed and water supply system to life through maps, images and text. The Water Systems Overviewstory map investigates where NYC’s water comes from while Building NYC’s Water Systemdelves into the history of why and how the city looked upstate for a source of clean water. Also check out the High Bridge and the Jerome Park Reservoirstory map for a deeper look into the history and engineering of the Croton System.
7) VIDEO – Living City: A Billion Gallons a Day
Source: The New York Times
This 6.5min video describes the NYC watershed and water supply system through interviews, maps, historic photos, and beautiful video imagery. Topics include watershed history, engineering and technology, maintenance, and how NYC is renowned globally for its clean, forest-filtered urban water supply.
8) VIDEO – FreshwaterLIVE: A Distance Learning Adventure
Source: US Forest Service
Filmed in the Catskill Mountains in the NYC Watershed, the first 15min30sec of this video provides a thorough explanation of the NYC Watershed, including the importance of freshwater, watershed form and function, the roles of trees in protecting water quality, and ways people can help take care of the watershed. More topics are explored in depth, including indicator species, waste water treatment, comparisons to other US watersheds, and more. Specific video clips can be viewed from the FreshWaterLIVE Clips playlist on Youtube. Find associated lesson plans on the FreshWaterLIVE website, too.
9) VIDEO – Nature Works: To Clean Water
Source: The Nature Conservancy, Nature Works Everywhere
In this 4min video, learn what a watershed is, how the plants in a watershed work to filter water so its clean and healthy enough for us to drink. This video explores how watersheds help people and nature. It also shows students building a water garden to demonstrate the filtering power of a watershed.
10) VIDEO – Forests: The Stuff of Life
Source: The Nature Conservancy, Nature Works Everywhere
In this 4min video, explore the beautiful forests of the northeastern U.S. and discover how forests keep water clean and plentiful for people and wildlife. Learn how healthy, well-managed forests can supply us with the forest products we depend on while also supporting clean water, air and wildlife habitat.
11) WEBSITE – The Model Forest Story Map
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
Discover how forests in the NYC Watershed protect water quality and provide tons of other benefits through maps, images, video and text. This story map allows you to virtually visit 4 different Model Forest properties in the NYC Watershed that are managed as living classrooms to educate people about the connection between forests and NYC’s drinking water by demonstrating good forest stewardship, or the many ways people can use, enjoy and care for forests responsibly.
12) READING- Water and Forests: The Role Trees Play in Water Quality
Source: Educational in Nature
This 6-page, full-color handout includes information on the water cycle, trees as water filters, how watersheds function, definitions of key terms, diagrams, and student activities.
13) WEBSITE – How New York City Gets Its Water
Source: The New York Times
Seven cartoons depict the amazing journey water travels from upstate watersheds to city faucets in this online Explainer. Consider dividing this content among student groups to help guide further research into our world-famous, forest-filtered water supply.
1) YouTube Playlists for Watershed Forestry Education
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
Browse our growing collection of short videos related to NYC watershed forestry themes. Videos are organized into the following playlists:
- What is a Watershed?
- NYC water supply system
- NYC watershed stewardship
- Forests & clean water
- Forest ecology & management
- Timber harvesting & wood products
- Urban forests & green infrastructure
- Water conservation
- Watershed careers
- Water around the world
2) Deep Water: Building of NYC’s Catskill Water System
Source: Ashokan Center & Filmmaker Tobe Carey
This 21min video tells the story of the building of NYC’s Catskill water system during the early 1900s. Through historic photos and interviews, the video reveals the technology, engineering, labor, ecology and human sacrifices that make up the historic and world-renowned NYC water supply system. This video has been edited specifically for students and educational audiences. The original, full-length Deep Water film is available for purchase here. Download the Deep Water Teacher’s Guide here.
3) Forest Fast Breaks Videos
Source: Dovetail Partners
Choose from 17 different fun, factual animated videos under 3-minutes each on a wide range of forestry topics, including: Water, Photosynthesis, Renewable Resources, Sustainability, Tree Biology, Urban Forests, Wood Products, Green Building, Forest Fire and more.
4) H2 Oh No!
Source: Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP)
This short (3 min) animated video is about Combined Sewer Overflow. It tells the story of water flowing through the watershed, to the city, and into people’s homes. Then a storm comes and fills up the combined wastewater and sewer system, causing water pollution and harming people and wildlife. Conservation strategies are explored to reduce the overall volume of water in the system, which can minimize these pollution events.
1) The Story Behind New York City’s Water Supply (2019)
Source: WAMC Northeast Public Radio
In this 35-minute episode of A New York Minute in History, co-hosts Devin Lander and Don Wildman detail the early history of NYC’s Croton water supply system. Topics include why the city had to seek a source of clean water outside of the city, how the system was engineered and financed, the workers who constructed the dams and aqueducts, and how water from the Croton Watershed saved New York City and allowed it to be become the financial and cultural capital of the world.
1) Water episode with Adam Bosch (2019)
Source: From Scratch with Michael Ruhlman
In this Water episode of his cooking podcast, cookbook author Michael Ruhlman explores the topic of water with one chef and one non-chef, Adam Bosch, Director of Public Affairs with NYC-Department of Environmental Protection. Tune in from 19min40sec to 50min55sec, to hear Adam explain the NYC water supply system. Topics covered include NYC water supply history (at 26min30sec, travel inside the Old Croton Aqueduct with Sarah Kelsey, Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct), water supply system maintenance, water treatment including chlorination and UV disinfection (35min25sec), watershed farm management (39min 20sec), watershed security measures (41min28sec), NYC water chemistry (42min48sec), and the array of NYC-DEP workers who keep the water supply system functioning (45min45sec).
3) NYC Water: An Engineering Marvel (2019)
Source: Stuff Your Should Know
In this 51 minute episode, hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant have a meandering and light-hearted discussion about the history, engineering, operation and reputation of the NYC water supply system and NYC tap water.
4) The Cost of Our Water (2015)
Source: WNYC Public Radio
In this podcast series, WNYC reporters explore the NYC water supply system (from farms, streams and reservoirs to aqueducts, treatment facilities, and water towers) with a special focus on why water rates have been on the rise and the challenges that face the more than 150-year old system. Listen to the full length 57-minute The Cost of Our Water podcast or choose from the following themed clips:
- Your Water Comes from a Stream with No Name
- The Land NYC Doesn’t Want to Build on
- Call the Mega-Plumbers: The World’s Longest Pipe Needs Fixing
- You or Your Dishwasher, Who Uses Less Water? (topic: water conservation)
- Nearly 30 Years and $3.5 Billion Later, NYC Gets its First Filtration Plant
- Water Pressure: Why Your Shower Is an Affordable Housing Issue
- The Sound of Clean Water (topic: UV disinfection plant)
- Why You Shouldn’t Flush Your Toilet During Rain Storms
- If New York’s Water Is So Good, Do You Need a Brita?
1) Working Trees for Water Quality
Source: National Agroforestry Center
This is a 6-page, full-color handout about watershed management techniques. Includes information on how different human activities cause pollution in a watershed and ways to live, farm and build on the land to keep the water clean.
2) Healthy Watersheds Protection
Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This site offers great basic information on what is a watershed, what makes a watershed healthy, why people need healthy watersheds and how they can be protected. Also check out the associated Benefits of Healthy Watershedspage from the EPA that addresses the ecosystem, economic, and physical and mental health benefits of healthy watersheds.
3) Collection of Scientific Articles about Water
Source: Natural Inquirer: A Middle School Science Education Journal
Check out this page with links to all of the Natural Inquirer’s water-related articles. These are great resources for addressing Common Core Standards and English Language Arts with your science explorations!
4) Newsela – Leveled News Articles
Each non-fiction article is offered at multiple reading levels so students can study the same content and learn at their own pace while teachers save time. Search for articles about science, arts & culture, and health or find text sets to meet different instructional needs, from reading level, to specific reading skills, to bilingual.
5) DOGO News
Source: DOGO Media
Online network engaging kids with digital media in a fun, safe and social environment. Search for news articles and book and movie reviews by and for kids. Filter for science and environmental content, too.
1) The Catskills: A Sense of Place (3-12th grades)
Source: The Catskills Center
This fantastic curriculum is made up of 6 modules listed below. Each module is divided into lessons also listed below. Each lesson includes multiple activities that are engaging, place-based and designed to help students explore and understand the natural and cultural dimensions of the Catskills and the NYC watershed region. At the end of each module, find a glossary of key terms and resource list, including books, teaching materials, websites, people, and places to visit.
1) Water Resources
– Introduction to Water
– Stream Watch
– Taking Care of Our Watershed
– New York City Watershed
2) Geography & Geology
– Introduction to Geology
– Introduction to Geography
– How do the Catskills Stand Out?Physical Geography of The Catskills
3) Ecosystems (This Module includes background information only. No activities)
– Biodiversity in the Catskills
– Organism Functions
– Ecosystem Functions
– Living in an Ecosystem
4) Human History (This Module includes background information only. No activities)
– Native People
– European Settlement
– Hotels and Recreation
5) Culture & Arts
– Native Traditions
– Art and Literature of the Romantic Period
– Art Colonies
– Appreciating Folk Traditions
– Characteristics of Catskill Mountain Communities
6) Sustainable Catskills
– Sustainable Energy
– Sustainable Water Use
– Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry
– Sustainable Living and Shopping
2) Nature Lab (K-12th grades)
Source: The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy and its 550 scientists have created Nature Lab to help students learn the science behind how nature works for us and how we can help keep it running strong. Nature is the fantastic factory that makes the building blocks of all our lives—food, drinking water, the stuff we own, and the air we breathe. Check out their teaching guideson the following themes: Protect Land and Water, Build Healthy Cities, Tackle Climate Change, and Provide Food and Water Sustainably. The following lessons relate directly to watershed forestry themes:
Grades K-5: How Water Works in your Garden, How Dirt Works, Gardens as Living Systems
Grades 6-8: How Natural Areas Filter Water, Seeing Wood for Trees: Sustainable Forestry
Grades 9-12: Finding your Flow: Watersheds, Urban Runoff: Stormwater Management, Biomimicry: Water Security
3) Protecting Our Water Resources: Student Activities for the Classroom (K-9th grades)
Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This activity guide includes 11 water pollution lessons that help students understand the definition of water pollution using the basic principles of science and mathematics. The lessons are organized into 3 levels:
Level 1 Lessons (K-3rd grades)
– What is a Watershed?
– Create your Own Water Cycle
– Get the Dirt Out!
Level 2 Lessons (4-6th grades)
– Too Many Nutrients
– Pond Scum
– From Streets to Streams
– How Much Water Falls Here?
Level 3 Lessons (7-9th grades)
– The Effect of Turbidity on Light Penetration
– Septic Tanks
– Decaying Substances and Water Pollution
– Point vs. Nonpoint Source Pollution
4) Watershed Academy: Online Training in Watershed Topics (9-12th grade & adult)
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Watershed Academy is the EPA’s Distance Learning Program. The website offers a variety of self-paced training modules that offer a basic and broad introduction to watershed topics. The modules are organized by 7 themes and are appropriate for high school students or adult learners. Modules can be viewed online or downloaded as PDFs. Modules contain excellent diagrams, pictures, definitions and examples of key terms.
1) Healthy Aquatic Systems and Ecosystem Services
2) Watershed Ecology
3) Watershed Change
4) Analysis and Planning
5) Watershed Management Practices
6) Community and Society
7) Water Laws
5) Project Learning Tree (K-12th grades)
Source: American Forest Foundation
Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth. You must attend a training to receive full access to the activity guides. Attend WAC’s Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers to receive training and the guide. Find out about other Project Learning Tree trainings through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
6) Project WET: Water Education for Teachers
Source: Project WET Foundation
The mission of Project WET is to reach children, parents, educators and communities of the world with water education. Some resources are free and available online, others are available for sale, including Project WET’s award-winning Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0, and other Educator Guides full of activities about watersheds, water quality, floods and water conservation, plus maps, posters and more. Attend WAC’s Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers to receive training and the guide. Find out about other Project WET trainings through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
1) Activity: Water Footprint Calculator
Source: GRACE Communications Foundation
Use this excellent online tool (also available in Spanish) to figure out how much water your household uses, including direct and virtual water use. This interactive questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete. The website has great background information on different types of water useand tips on how to conserve water. Educational resourcesinclude lesson plans for middle and high school levels, links to articles, research and careers related to water, and a video about water conservation for K-5 students.
2) Discover Water
Source: Project WET Water Education for Teacher
This fun and interactive website helps students explore many aspects of water, including the water cycle, watersheds, and water conservation though games, videos, quizzes and more. In the “Explore Watersheds” activity, discover the natural features of a watershed and how different human activities impact it. Type in your zip code for information about your local watershed. Watch a video of kids making a model of a watershed, quiz your knowledge, get tips on how to take action, and design and print your own eco posters or Field Notebook pages for student reflection.
3) Lesson: Crumple a Watershed
Source: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Similar to “Make a Paper Watershed” but includes background reading, extensions and visual instructions. Students gain an intuitive knowledge of the physical aspects of watersheds by creating their own simple models.
4) Discovering New York City’s Water Supply System
Students develop their systems thinking in a lesson that involves modelling the NYC water supply system by arranging and physically connecting cards that represent different natural and human-made elements. The interconnections between the water cycle and our human systems are explored as well as the design challenges associated with urban storm water planning and the ways that climate change impacts the system models they’ve created. This lesson is part of the NYC-DEP’s Climate Change Education Module.
5) Lesson: Water Wash
Source: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
This 1-hour lesson includes a watershed simulation and groundwater simulation to explore watershed function, ground water contributions, flooding, and nonpoint source pollution.
6) Activity: The Watershed Game (board game)
Source: University of Minnesota Extension
The Watershed Game helps students understand connections between land use, clean water and their community. Working in teams, students apply practices, plans, and policies to decrease water pollution while juggling financial resources. Successful teams reduce water pollution without going broke. Available in free downloadable PDF parts. Boxed sets also available for purchase.
7) Activity: The Watershed Game (online game)
Source: Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center
In this interactive game, learn about different ways that humans impact their watershed and explore ways to help clean it up. When you click on different parts of the watershed map, you are presented with scenarios and asked to make choices about the best way to reduce environmental problems. Answer questions correctly to help clean-up the watershed!
8) Green Infrastructure Education Module
Where does rainwater go? What happens to precipitation and runoff on NYC streets? How can we help understand and manage storm water runoff? Check out the DEP’s Green Infrastructure Education Module to discover interactive, multi-disciplinary, STEM lessons and activities that introduce students and educators to New York City’s hidden infrastructure and innovative green infrastructure techniques that help transport and manage our wastewater and storm water.
9) Give Water a Hand
Use this excellent guide to help your students investigate water issues in your community and plan actions to help protect your water resources. Give Water a Hand activities are presented in two publications—the youth Action Guide for ages 9-14 (also available in Spanish) and the accompanying Leader Guidebook. These easy-to-follow, illustrated guides help youth organize and carry out effective action-oriented projects
10) Explorable Places – Find Great Fieldtrips
Source: Explorable Places New website for New York City teachers and parents
Developed by a teacher, the Explorable Places website is designed to make finding high-quality, curriculum-boosting fieldtrips simple and easy. Search by subject, grade, activity, etc. or browse their interactive map. Check out their blog series for quick references to free, outdoor science, and short park fieldtrips, funding tips and more.
11) Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Source: NYC DEP
Both the Visitor Center and the Waterfront Nature Walk at New York City’s largest Wastewater Treatment Plant are open for school visits. To schedule a Visitor Center field trip, fill out the form on the Visitor Center webpage detailing your goals. The walk is open to the public. For more information about NYC’s wastewater treatment facilities, see the handouts section.
12) Water Ecology & Engineering Tours for NYC Schools
NYC-H2O offers free walking tours of NYC’s historic reservoirs in all 5 boroughs. Tour guides engage students in outdoor activities that explore NYC water, history, engineering and ecology. Tours are free; reservations require a $50 deposit, refunded once your class completes the tour. Fall and spring tours offered.
13) NYC-DEP’s RecMapper
Source: NYC Department of Environmental Protection
Use this online mapping tool to find protected watershed land that’s open to the public for recreation activities like fishing, hiking, hunting and more. Recreation opportunities have continued to increase as more properties are protected.
14) Take a Fieldtrip to the American Museum of Natural History to teach Watershed Forestry
Source: NYC Watershed Teachers and Watershed Agricultural Council
In January, 2015, teachers gathered at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC to develop teaching materials to help guide student discovery of watershed forestry themes in the museum’s permanent exhibits. As you plan your visit to the museum (free for NYC students!), review these Exhibit Guides for ideas about high-engagement activities for your students to complete before, during and after the fieldtrip.
15) Bronx River Virtual Tour
Source: NYC Parks Department
Watch a brief video introduction about the Bronx River and then navigate to different points along the river to view 360-degree views of the environment. The Bronx River begins at the outlet of the Kensico Reservoir and Dam, which is part of the NYC drinking water supply system. Use the tour to make observations about different types of riparian (stream-side) ecosystems, amounts of vegetation and levels of human impact. Guide students to make predictions water quality, pollution sources and levels, stream health, and stewardship activities along the river. Contact the Bronx River Alliance for additional resources.
16) National Tree Benefit Calculator – The Value of a Single Tree
Source: Casey Trees and Davey Tree Expert Co.
Enter the species and diameter at breast height of a street tree and the calculator gives a detailed and highly accessible breakdown of the tree’s monetary benefit including storm water, energy savings (trees help cool the environment), air quality, CO2, and property value.
17) 4-H Virtual Forest
Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension
The 4-H Virtual Forest provides youth with an interactive web-based learning experience that introduces the concepts of forest management to young people ages 9 -13 through the topics of photosynthesis, tree identification, forest measurements, trees as renewable resources, timber harvesting, forest succession, and the impact of human development on forested ecosystems.
18) Virtual Forest Initiative
Source: Black Rock Forest Consortium
Black Rock Forest Consortium and Columbia University developed this suite of web-based learning modules for undergraduates (topics: paleoecology, plant physiological ecology, and forest sampling methods) and for grades 8-12 (topics: water chemistry and mammals and habitats). Modules allows students to investigate real data sets and do online graphing, data analysis and comparison.
19) Tree Rings Simulations
Source: UCAR Center for Science Education
Two online simulation activities help students understand what tree rings can tell us about climate conditions in the past. In the Tree Ring Simulation – Dendrochronology, adjust moisture and temperature variables to affect tree ring growth. In the Tree Rings and Climate Timeline Simulation, line up tree ring patterns from many sources to reveal temperatures in the past.
20) The NYC Street Tree Map
Source: NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
This online interactive map brings New York City’s urban forest to your fingertips. For the first time, you have access to information about every street tree in New York City. Learn about the trees that make up our city’s urban forest, understand the benefits of trees for water, air and carbon sequestration and see calculations for the ecological benefits of city trees, mark trees as favorites and share them with your friends, and record and share all of your caretaking and tree stewardship activities.
21) Activity: The Numbered Forest
Source: Green Teacher
Numbering trees in the schoolyard or in a nearby woodland opens the door to a variety of activities.
22) Activity: Tree Care Handbook
Source: The New York Restoration Project
Start caring for your local trees with the help of this clear and comprehensive guide for urban tree care that is appropriate for students. The guide covers the basics of tree anatomy, tree ID, tree threats and tree care in New York City.
23) Activity: Tree Jeopardy Game (8-12th grades)
Source: Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program, Rhode Island
Student teams compete in a classic Jeopardy-style game. Questions reinforce forestry concepts in a fun way that will encourage critical thinking and inspire an effective, well-informed poster
24) Parts-to-Whole: Terrific Trees (Lesson Plan & Student Worksheet)
Source: Taura McMeekin, P.S. 164
In this lesson, students will act out the anatomy of a tree in order to understand the structure and function of the different parts of a tree. Try challenging students to summarize the different ways that water is used and transported by different tree parts. Connect these observations to watershed forestry, since it’s the function of trees that filters and cleans the water in a watershed.
25) Lesson Archive: Trout in the Classroom Online Lesson Archive
Source: Trout in the Classroom
Trout in the Classroom teachers have uploaded their favorite lessons related to the Trout in the Classroom experience, including different subject areas like science, math, social studies, and language arts. Browse by subject and by topic.
26) Stream Macroinvertebrate ID Cards
Source: DCMO BOCES
Digital cards are available for free download. High school students in career and technical education programs at DCMO BOCES collected, identified, photographed, and designed digital identification cards of stream insects and aquatic macroinvertebrates to be helpful to groups that monitor stream health by collecting and identifying these organisms.
1) MyWoodlot.com Educator Starter Kits
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
MyWoodlot.com helps you learn about and care for trees and woods. Check out the Educator Starter Kit for activities that will enhance your teaching in the classroom, schoolyard, art room, at camp or on a field trip. Activities include all the how-to info you need to complete them and are sorted into the following categories: Field trips, stewardship projects, learn about nature, nature arts and crafts and maps.
Source: Catskills Watershed Corporation (CWC)
This website contains resources and inspiration for teaching about the NYC water supply system and its upstate watershed. You’ll find information on learning models, careers, school programs, field trips, grants, maps and more.
3) NYC-DEP Environmental Education
Source: NYC-Department of Environmental Protection
This website contains information about NYC-DEP school programs, resources, events, contests, fieldtrips and education modules on the NYC Water Supply System, Green Infrastructure in NYC, The NYC Sewer System, Sounds and Noise in NYC, and Climate Change and NYC.
4) Watersheds, Flooding and Pollution
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA)
This rich website includes educational resources about watersheds for K-12th grade teachers. Check out the menu of resources in the left column. Resource categories include: 1. Multimedia; 2. Lessons & Activities; 3. Real World Data; 4. Background Information.
5) USGS Water Science School website
Source: U.S. Geological Service
This rich website offers information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can share opinions and test your water knowledge. Check out these watershed topics in particular: Surface Water, Groundwater, Water Quality and Water Use.
6) How’s My Waterway
Source: US EPA
This site provides the general public with information about the condition of their local waters based on data that states, federal, tribal, local agencies and others have provided to EPA. Type in your zip code to access maps and data about your local watersheds and waterways, including info on water quality monitoring stations, swimming, eating fish, aquatic life, drinking water, and water quality protection. State and national data is also available.
7) WaterWatch: Maps of Current Stream Flow, Drought and Floods by Region
Source: US Geological Survey
Search by region to see stream flow levels for today compared to average. The website creates clear maps ideal for temporal comparisons and water availability discussions.
1) Watershed Forestry Bus Tour Grant Program
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC)
Apply for funding to visit the NYC watershed. Choose from 1 of 4 Bus Tour options, including the Green Connections Program, which funds partnerships between upstate schools and downstate schools to explore collaboratively the waters, forests and people of the NYC watershed.
2) Watershed Education Grants
Source: The Catskills Watershed Corporation (CWC)
The Catskills Watershed Corporation (CWC), in partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), provides Watershed Education Grants to schools, libraries, museums, vocational institutions and non-profit organizations in the West-of-Hudson (WOH) Watershed and in the five boroughs of New York City. The grants are targeted to Pre-Kindergarten-12th grade audiences and their teachers. Applications are accepted annually in the spring.
3) GreenWorks Grants
Source: Project Learning Tree
If you have you attended at Project Learning Tree (PLT) training, including WAC’s Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers then you’re eligible to apply for a PLT GreenWorks grant for up to $1,000. Grants are awarded to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world. Students implement an action project they help design to green their school or to improve an aspect of their neighborhood’s environment. Applications due in September and funding is distributed in December.
4) Donors Choose for Public School Teachers
Source: Donors Choose
DonorsChoose.org is an online charity to help students in need. Public school teachers post classroom project requests on the site, and donors can give any amount to the projects that most inspire them. When a project reaches its funding goal, the materials get shipped to the school.