Posted: September 16, 2021
Beach Outreach with the Youth Water Leaders
On Saturday, August 28, Ottawa Riverkeeper’s Youth Water Leaders could be found at Lac Leamy Beach and Park sharing watershed facts with the public.
Armed with a plethora of resources, a team of 6 youth set up a tent to try and connect with beachgoers. The day started off slowly since Saturday marked the sudden end of the region’s heat wave and the chilly weather and a beach closure due to a lack of lifeguards definitely dissuaded some people from leaving their homes. However, by the time noon rolled around there was a steady stream of people heading over to greet our youth and learn more about the giant watershed map they had dug into the sand on the beach.
From there the day got exciting as people came with such interesting questions. One recurring theme was inquiries related to water quality, specifically in the local swimming areas. The youth were able to share helpful information on how to spot toxic blue-green algae at cottages and lakes so that people can avoid swimming there. They were also able to share the Swim Guide app, where Ottawa Riverkeeper and other organizations post updated swimming recommendations based on E. Coli tests. This app covers almost all the public beaches in the National Capital Region and beyond.
Another popular question was about the health of fish in our watershed, the risks of contaminants, and fishing regulations. Youth were able to talk particularly about the topic of sturgeon, one of the endangered species in our watershed. A visual display of the size of a sturgeon in relation to their age was a key factor driving engagement. It was so much fun measuring how old people were in sturgeon years.
The youth also came equipped with different water testing instruments. The week prior, in preparation for this beach outreach day, the youth were taught how to use various measurement tools. Katy Alambo from our science team led a workshop for them at Westboro beach outlining different types of equipment along with when and how to use them to test for water quality, including a YSI probe that measures dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, and temperature. Youth shared some of this equipment at Lac Leamy and showed more people from the public how to use them.
The youth also brought along thermometers to tell the temperature of the water that day. Apart from just being a fun fact, it also allowed people to start thinking about connections between water temperature and other watershed health factors like algae and E. Coli. With the ongoing climate crisis warming our planet, the impact of rising water temperatures and water quality is a relationship more people need to think about.
At the end of the day, the youth felt accomplished to have interacted with around 30 individual members of the public. The table they set up that day had considerably less information packets, Boat Safety guides, handouts, and colouring sheets for the younger participants. These resources are now in the hands of concerned citizens in the region, exactly where they should be. Overall it was a fun and successful outreach day!
< Previous post Next post >