"May 2005 Watershed Awareness Month - Protect our Watersheds, Protect our Future."

The purpose of Watershed Awareness Month is to promote the importance of watersheds by encouraging and supporting volunteer community organizations, educators and other groups to conduct watershed education and awareness activities throughout the month of May.

WATERSHED AWARENESS MONTH EVENT AND ACTIVITY IDEAS

• Watershed Weather. Contact local TV weathermen to highlight local watersheds on their forecast maps.
• Curriculum materials for teachers and educators. Check out http://eelink.net for more information and resources.
• American Wetlands Month. May 2004 is also designated as American Wetlands Month. Take a wetland field trip and conduct an educational program.
• Watershed Walks, Hikes, Tours, Bicycle Rides or 5/10K Runs. Organize land-based walks, hikes, tours, bicycle rides or 5/10K runs to promote your watershed! The field-trip activities can be historical, biological, or cultural.
• Streamside cleanup programs. Conduct cleanups in and around the waterway.
• Waterway float trips. Experience the river or stream by paddling it. Ask for help in organizing from local outfitters (liability issues).
• Community watershed festivals or river rallies. Organize a watershed festival or river rally. Develop a watershed exhibit for other community events, such as county fairs, art festivals, etc.
• Dam Removal Project Tours. Tour and/or conduct an educational program at a dam removal site.
• Storm Drain Stenciling Projects. Work with a school or youth club to do a storm drain stenciling project in the watershed.
• Water quality monitoring activities. Conduct a community watershed snapshot event or hold a "Bug Madness" Day.
• Schoolyard Habitat Projects. Work with a local school to create a schoolyard wildlife habitat or plant riparian buffers.
• Take a tour. Visit your local water filtration or sewer plant.
• Invasive Plant Removal. Organize an invasive plant removal project.
• Fishing Derbies. Conduct a fishing derby.
• Paint Your Watershed Day. Offer a class on painting streams, wetlands, etc. with a local artist or organize a watershed painting contest.
• Attend a Neighboring Watershed Group Meeting. Make it a point to go to another watershed group meeting.
• Flood Control Structure Tours. Take a tour of local flood control structures and highlight historic highwater marks.
• Storm Drain/Culvert Cleaning. Conduct a storm drain or culvert cleanup.
• Wet Weather Challenges. When it rains, get out (even in a car) to see the land and water
  dynamics and pin-point sediment pollution and sources of large runoff volumes.