CONSERVE THE CARSON RIVER WORKDAYS

CONSERVE THE CARSON RIVER WORKDAYS

Funded by the Carson Water Subconservancy District (CWSD), the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), and supported by local conservation districts, high school and elementary students team up to learn about the Carson River watershed. River Wranglers prepares the high school students to mentor elementary students during their workday. They lead them through educational activities and a work project - wrapping trees to protect them from beaver damage, placing willow wattles on the river bank, or planting native species. We want students to recognize their relationship to the watershed and how they can impact it. Ranked by high school and elementary students alike as “one of the best field trips ever,” Conserve the Carson River Workdays are memorable events.

TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM

In partnership with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, River Wranglers serves as a classroom “trout buddy” and visits classes to teach aquatic ecology, the lifecycle of fish, and the anatomy of trout. The Trout in the Classroom program is designed to satisfy 5th grade standards, though it is used by elementary and high school classes alike. Teachers may plan their classroom fish release with River Wranglers at a special spot along the Carson River. The students arrive excited to let their trout - carefully cultivated and often named - into the waterway. After releasing the trout into the river, they spend the morning doing educational activities designed to teach them about their watershed.

SNAPSHOT DAY

River Wranglers partners with numerous agency professionals and skilled volunteers to bring Snapshot Day to the Carson River watershed. At 11 spots along the river, students of all ages gather to learn about and test the water quality of the river at a specific time, essentially taking a “snapshot” of the river’s health in that moment. Samples are sent off to the state laboratory, where they are tested for contaminants such as nitrates, phosphates, and coliform. Students then spend time completing streamwalk assessments, where they use all their senses to carefully observe and evaluate the river. Data has been captured since 2006 and it is released to teachers and volunteers who have interest in using it.

FLOOD AWARENESS

Nevada floods. Are you prepared? Working with Nevadafloods.org and the Carson Water Subconservancy District through a FEMA grant, River Wranglers works to educate about flood awareness. Using a flood model and other tools, we show students the impacts of flooding and what they can do to be prepared. Participating in a flood relay where teams compete to gather the best things to put in a “go kit” helps students think about what they need to take in an evacuation situation. Students learn about dams, levees, retention ponds, pollution impacts of flooding, and the importance of wetlands in floodplain management.

PROJECT WET

As an approved facilitator, River Wranglers provides teacher trainings for Project WET in the Carson River watershed. Project WET gives teachers an interactive and fun way to teach their students about all things water related in a way that engages and enlightens young people. Watch our Facebook page for upcoming trainings or contact us to arrange for a special teacher training in your district or school!

OTHER EVENTS

River Wranglers actively participates in all the communities of the Carson River watershed. Events - Dayton Valley Days in Dayton; the Cantaloupe Festival in Fallon; the Washoe Tribe Earth Day event in Alpine County, CA; the Annual Kids’ Fishing Derby in Gardnerville; the Fall Festival at Silver Stage Middle School; Western Heritage Days in Genoa; and National Night Out in Carson City - are time well spent. We love interacting with everyone in the watershed, communicating and educating about the importance of local rivers. Additionally, we participate in camps, coordinate community workdays, partner with service groups, and speak to organizations that request information about the Carson River watershed.