Contact: Diane Huskinson, Communications Manager and Editor
Avondale, PA – Join Stroud Water Research Center on the beautiful banks of White Clay Creek for an outdoor celebration the week of World Water Day. The event will feature fun family activities and an unveiling of the new Watershed Education Mobile Lab, a fully outfitted 14-foot box trailer ready to travel and deliver education programs to underserved schools and communities.
Held every year since 1993, World Water Day is a United Nations observance day that focuses on the importance of fresh water and taking action to tackle the global water crisis.
While the lack of access to clean water is often thought of as a problem in the developing world, more than 2 million Americans don’t have running water or basic indoor plumbing at home. Race is the strongest predictor of access to clean water. Black, Latinx, and Native American households are disproportionately affected.
Recent data also underscores the threat to water quality: In the United States and Pennsylvania, 50% and 30% of streams, respectively, are impaired. Philadelphia (97%), Delaware (94%), Lancaster (89%), Chester (72%), and Dauphin (66%) counties are among the worst affected.
Connecting with nature is key to democratizing education about freshwater resources and provides important health and educational benefits to developing minds.
To provide equitable access to meaningful watershed educational experiences, the Stroud Center, during its March 24 World Water Day event, is unveiling its Watershed Education Mobile Lab.
In addition to reaching underserved schools and communities, the mobile lab expands public engagement at parks and festivals. It’s outfitted with a full set of instructional materials, such as microscopes and equipment for monitoring water quality to create hands-on experiences that build awareness and connections to local waterways.
On Thursday, March 24, 2022, from 4 to 6 p.m., families and community members can learn about the world’s most precious natural resource — clean fresh water — and how to protect it through four engaging activities:
- See a live demonstration of electrofishing, a technique used by scientists to sample eels, trout, and other underwater neighbors in White Clay Creek, a National Wild and Scenic River.
- Discover live freshwater insects that exist in healthy streams at the new Watershed Education Mobile Lab.
- Check out freshwater stewardship videos under the pavilion.
- Gather in a streamside forest for a bilingual (English/Spanish) reading of Creek Critters, a finalist for the 2021 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Hands-On Science Book category.
The event is free and open to the public from 4 to 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. To register and for COVID-19 safety protocols, go to stroudcenter.org/event/celebrate-world-water-day-2022
When: Thursday, March 24, 2022, 4–6 p.m.
Where: Outside at Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA 19311.
Audience: Families and community members
Cost: Free! Please register so we know how many people to expect.
Sponsors of the mobile lab include Pa. American Water, E. Kneale Dockstader Foundation, Pa. Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Education Grants Program, National Park Trust, Burkholder Mfg. Inc., Full Throttle Wraps and Graphics, CCRES Educational and Behavioral Services, Pa. Fish and Boat Commission, Pengara Design and Production, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, and an anonymous donor.
Media
The public event is from 4-6 p.m. Media representatives may arrive as early as 3:15 p.m. for a welcome from Executive Director Dave Arscott, Ph.D., a tour of the lab, and interviews with sponsors. Please check in with Jessica Provinski, associate director of special events and corporate relations, at the outdoor pavilion.
About Stroud Water Research Center
Stroud Water Research Center advances knowledge and stewardship of freshwater systems through global research, education, and watershed restoration and to help businesses, landowners, policymakers, and individuals make informed decisions that affect water quality and availability around the world. Stroud Water Research Center is an independent, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
