Once again OWU is hosting the Annual Olentangy Watershed Forum, Tuesday, October 15 from 9-3:30, Merrick Hall 3rd Floor.
The forum consists of central Ohio professionals reviewing the state of the Olentangy Watershed.
Registration (free) is requested by October 8th: calling or email Erin Gibson at egibson@delcowater.com or 740-548-7746 ext. 2221.
Lunch is included. Include dietary restrictions when registering.
Ohio Wesleyan University senior Brianna Graber has spent the past year planning and conducting water-quality research on the Delaware Run, which flows through the university campus and into the Olentangy River.
Her work included collaborating with the City of Delaware to install a 4-foot-high, 18.5-foot-wide, concrete-weighted storm drain net directly into the waterway. Put in place by crane Sept. 9, the 13,000-pound trapezoidal net is now capturing trash and green debris (organic waste such as lawn clippings and leaves). The net is one of the first installed in Ohio and the nation.
More information: Net Benefits: OWU News & Media
Visit the storm drain net: then social media it: #delrunstormdrainnet
The storm drain net is accessible from the OWU campus, just east of the 2nd footbridge east of S. Sandusky St.:
A video of the storm drain net in Delaware Run (Sept. 25, 2019)
Rain last weekend started the process of filling the net and trapping stream debris just upstream from the net (below). An assortment of larger trash along with quite a large amount of organic material is evident. Most notable is the impressive collection of cigarette butts.
Brianna Graber (OWU 2020) has been testing Delaware Run water, and will be able to compare water quality before and after the storm drain net installation. Material caught in the storm drain net will be analyzed for content (organic vs waste, etc.). The effects of such larger water-bourne materials on water quality is the focus of Graber’s work.
The presence of so many cigarette butts is of interest. Not only do cigarette butts contain plastic, but they also contain chemicals including nicotine. Some studies have began to investigate the impact of nicotine and other contaminants from cigarette butts on urban water (see Littered cigarette butts as a source of nicotine in urban waters, Journal of Hydrology
Volume 519, Part D, 27 November 2014, Pages 3466-3474).
Analyzing the contents of the storm drain net will allow the City of Delaware and other collaborators to understand and create target efforts to reduce specific kinds of waste, and to understand how both human generated and organic waste effect water quality.
Watch here for updates and let us know if you have questions!
WHERE: Benes Rooms, Hamilton-Williams Campus Center
DATE: Wednesday, September 25, 2019
TIME: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Employers and Graduate Programs at this event listed here.
One regional option for graduate study is OSU – where some recent grads (including Emily Howald) are in OSU’s Environment and Natural Resources Graduate Program. A representative from that program will be at the Careeer & Grad School Fair:
For students curious about graduate school, a representative from the Environment and Natural Resources Graduate Program (ENRGP) at The Ohio State University will be on campus to talk to students about advanced study in the natural and human dimensions of sustainability and natural resources management. Students from any major are invited to come to our booth to learn about our master’s and doctoral degrees in research and applied practice for those pursuing careers in academia, government agencies, non-profits, and the private sector. Full funding packages including tuition payment and monthly stipend are available, and we would be glad to talk to you about your eligibility.
ENRGP, provided by the School of Environment and Natural Resources, brings together faculty and students from a wide array of backgrounds to explore and resolve contemporary challenges from many angles. Over 40 graduate faculty members are involved in seven academic specialization areas and in research labs such as the Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Lab (TWEL), the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (CMASC), and the Environmental and Social Sustainability Lab (ESSL). For questions about SENR and ENRGP, please contact the graduate program coordinator, Taylor White, at white.1917@osu.edu.
Mostly hidden and invisible, Delaware Run weaves itself through the fabric of the city and is often overlooked. The Watershed Walk on Sept. 22, 2019, will shed light on this important natural resource.
Bring rubber boots or old shoes (and a towel for drying off)
Presented by the Boardman Arts Park and the Central Ohio Communities Project
When: September 22, 2019
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Choices for level of involvement: a “short walk” (45 minutes), or a longer walk (90+ minutes), with 3-4 entry or exit points. Led by Local naturalists, historians, MAD Scientist Associates and others.
3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: creation of a “Watershed mural”, Badminton and Bocce Ball, upcycle art creation, and other “earth art and sports” (non-fossil fuel fun!)
Mostly hidden and invisible, Delaware Run weaves itself through the fabric of the city and is often overlooked. The Watershed Walk on Sept. 22, 2019 will shed light on this important natural resource.
Participants can choose to do a deep exploration of the run or shorter jaunts along its course.
Local scientists and experts will lead our walks and will explore the history, ecology and geologic features of the stream scavenger hunt style. After the walks, we will meet at the Boardman Arts Park to enjoy refreshments, music and educational programming about the nature nearby.
