The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Students Learn About Lake Pollution Indicators at Lake Auburn

December 04, 2007 - AUBURN -- Auburn Middle School students spent Oct. 3 on the shores and waters of Lake Auburn learning about the effects that nonpoint sources of pollution have on water quality and the organisms that live in water. The Aubum Land Lab and Maine Volunteer Lake Monitor Program staff, along with Aubum Middle School teachers, spent the day on Whitman Spring Road and the monitor program training boat moderating activities centered around macroinvertebrates, algae, invasive plants and biodiversity.

The hands-on activities included identifying live macroinvertebrates and rating water quality based on organism presence or absence. Students leamed how and where to check water bodies for organisms. Activities included a game designed to help students understand the survivability of organisms in clean and polluted water.

Students leamed to check the clarity of the lake water and learned about algae as an indicator of water quality using secchi disks. Students also learned about invasive plants and animals and how to prevent their spread and how to conduct boat inspections for invasive species using a real boat and plastic plants. The students built miniature ecosystems and leamed about pollution sources that affect the environment.

SOURCE: SUN JOURNAL

DATE: 11-16-2007

Lakes:
Regions: Sebago


Print this story

Email this story

return to Lake News