Otsego students take part in Student Watershed Watch

Otsego Junior High School students got a hands-on scientific experience collecting water samples and the use of test kits to look at dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nutrients, pH value, and bacteria levels on Friday along the Maumee River at Providence Metropark in Grand Rapids. They also look for what types of macroinvertebrates are living in the area and what they can show about the quality of the habitat for wildlife. The project, which has been active for more than 3 decades, hosted by Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, focuses on teaching hundreds of students about the importance of protecting our natural resources by studying and reporting on the health of our waterways. Students will present their results at the Student Watershed Watch Summit on November 4 at the Toledo Zoo’s Malawi Event Center, where they also visit with water quality professionals to learn about career paths in water and wastewater, restoration, and biology. (Video by J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)