Preserving the Environment & Improving Water Quality
       Determining Water Quality (Multiple Grades: Middle, High School, and Secondary) MMSD offers a great resource that can be incorporated into your classroom lesson plans and other learning exercises. This H2O section of our website is a collection of real-time water quality data that can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom:
 Water continues to serve as a major conduit through which we analyze the overall health of our environment. These analyses take into account all aspects of water where it is, where it isn't; how much of it is, its temperature, the amount of oxygen it contains, the type of aquatic life it supports, and much more. Analyzing these and other water quality aspects help to answer questions about how much pollution is accumulating, its environmental impact, how long a water source will support a population of users, what types of aquatic life and ecosystems will it attract (or not)? Water quality data is an integral component in establishing the norm” for water quality. When gradual and sudden changes occur in water that alters its usual characteristics, it is the historical data that validates (or invalidates) the theory of the suspected changes. Keep this in mind as you guide your students in exploring the water quality data relative to the six regional watersheds that make up MMSD's service area – the Milwaukee River, Menomonee River, Oak Creek, Root River, Kinnickinnic River, and Lake Michigan Drainage Area watersheds. Watershed booklets are also available and are free of charge. Each booklet uniquely describes water quality data relative to each watershed. Call 414/225-2191 or send an email to cpalmer@mmsd.com to obtain free copies for your classroom on each watershed |