September 10, 2011: River Watch invites the public to celebrate World Water Monitoring Day

On Saturday, September 10th, from 10 a.m. to noon, please join our River Watchers on the hike-and-bike trail to learn about the importance of clean water. We’ll show visitors how we do our scientific tests, and you can even do a test yourself! This is a family-friendly event, so bring your kiddos and pooches. We’ll look forward to seeing you there!

About World Water Monitoring Day: Each year, water-quality monitors all over the world join together to celebrate their important work. The actual date varies from place to place, but the intent of the event is always to bring public awareness to issues of water quality in our rivers, lakes, and streams. For more information about this global effort, click here.

August 29, 2011: Fall Program Begins

On August 29th, River Watch will begin its 20th year of programs. Congratulations to Program Director Elisabeth Welsh on kicking off another great year!

July 15, 2011: Eutrophic water discovered in Bouldin Creek

During our Summer Leadership Program, our River Watchers were doing their regular monitoring visit to Bouldin Creek when they discovered something unusual: Eutrophic (pronounced “yoo-TROE-fick”) water, in a place that usually contained normal, healthy creek water. Eutrophic water is water that has experienced a sudden decline in quality, including a loss of oxygen, and it is dangerous for fish and other living organisms. Eutrophication can sometimes be caused by an influx of nitrates or other pollution, but in this case, we think it was caused by our extremely hot weather, combined with decreased water-flow rates. We alerted our partnering scientists at the City’s Watershed Protection Department, and we will continue monitoring this site. Hopefully, the situation will correct itself once the drought and the record-setting heat are over.

Thank You Kettler Roofing

A huge River Watch THANK YOU goes out to Dave Kettler of Kettler Roofing. Not only did he do a great job on our EcoHouse’s new roof, he also followed up with a big donation! Dave, you’re awesome. Thank you!

If you’re in the market for a new roof, give Dave a call: Kettler Roofing

June 11, 2011: Open House & Potluck

Austin Youth River Watch invites you to an open house and potluck to celebrate:
Another year of successful River Watch programs! …And Gwendolyn Rose’s 1st birthday!

Bring a dish, and come relax with us at Hornsby Bend.

Date: June 11, 11 am – 2 pm
Location:
River Watch EcoHouse
Please RSVP to Brent Lyles:  brent@ayrw.org or 512-773-9789. In case of bad weather, check message at 512-773-9789.