The Water and Energy Learning Lab

The WELL Project’s In-Stream Habitat Teams have have been up to exciting field work this fall! Students from both Springfield and Thurston High Schools surveyed tributaries of Lost Creek and the Long Tom River at both Lost Valley Educational Center in Dexter and Camp Lutherwood in Cheshire. Both teams conducted in-stream and streamside surveys to assess the health of the tributaries for native fish species. The work was challenging, exciting, and definitely FUN. We are so grateful for our partnership with Emma Garner from Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council, who supports our work by assisting us on our field trips and connecting us with top notch field survey sites. Thank you to Springfield Utility Board for supporting the WELL Project at Springfield Public Schools!

Our Community Well Water Testing program is up and running again! It is easy to sign up online by visiting our website or by searching for “well water testing” in the SPS search tab. Thank you to Springfield Public Schools - OR for visiting our first testing day of the school year and capturing some great student work!

This year’s Watershed Olympics was incredible. We are grateful for the many partners of this program, especially the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council and its amazing Education staff. We also thank Springfield Utility Board for its ongoing support of the WELL Project.

We will miss all of the students who participated, and look forward to next school year! Springfield Public Schools - OR

Let high school students test your well water! Our last testing day for the school year is on May 14th. Sign up now!

Students from Thurston High School are trained to conduct tests for ten different water quality parameters in The WELL Project's high school water lab. Results are mailed or emailed to customers within one week. The service is free to the public, and a free testing kit with instructions is provided.

The last testing day of this school year is coming up on May 14. Sign up by May 13 to reserve your spot.

Visit www.thewellproject.education to find out more about the program and to sign up online. For questions, email [email protected].

The Water and Energy Learning Lab

For SPS families in need of support during the ice storm, please read below.

Due to continued inclement weather, damage to facilities, and hazardous road conditions, all Springfield Public Schools will be closed through Friday, January 19. All activities, including athletic events, have been postponed.

Visit www.springfield.k12.or.us/families/inclement-weather for more information about SPS’s inclement weather response.

*** TRANSLATION***

Debido a que el clima severo persiste, daño a instalaciones, y condiciones peligrosas en los caminos, todas las Escuelas Públicas de Springfield estarán cerradas por el día Viernes, 19 de enero. Todas las actividades, incluyendo eventos deportivos, han sido pospuestos.

Visite www.springfield.k12.or.us/families/inclement-weather para mayor información sobre el sistema de repuesta de SPS durante clima severo.

The WELL Project's In-Stream Habitat Team at THS went all out today to assist fish biologists in measuring and counting more than 200 spawned salmon at the Leaburg Hatchery today. Later, we travelled upriver to place (well, more like sling) salmon carcasses in the South Fork McKenzie River. Salmon carcasses are a crucial food and nutrient source in rivers and stream-side ecosystems. It was an overall fishy fun adventure today! We are grateful to Jeremy Romer from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the rest of the crew at the Leaburg Fish Hatchery for hosting us today!

Check out this great art piece and bio from one of the WELL Project's own Advanced Water Team Students! Kat's art was showcased in the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council's latest newsletter. We truly appreciate our partnerships with organizations like MFWWC who collaborate with us on our many watershed-based projects.
https://mailchi.mp/f00a528840d4/november-watershed-news-5120461?e=%5BUNIQID%5D

Welcome to The WELL Project's new Instagram page! Our Advanced Water Team Program, held at Springfield and Thurston High Schools, is up and running for this 2021-22 school year! Our THS In-Stream Aquatic Survey Team Seniors were excited to return to the water. We enjoyed re-learning our field protocols in McGowan Creek back in October.

Our second Community Well Water Testing Session for this school year was a success! Thanks team for doing the work and getting it done! To sign up for free well water testing, please visit our website at www.thewellproject.education to get on our list. Our next testing session is on Wednesday February 16th.

Our Thurston High School Water Quality Team collected water samples from different survey points along the Springfield Mill Race. We were able to visit with the Springfield Utility Board’s Public Relations Manager out in the field and demonstrate how to detect dissolved oxygen levels. Back in the lab, students finished up data collection by preparing bacteria samples for analysis.

There are often days in the field where we get a taste of warm weather to come. Our Springfield High School Water Quality Team members are gathering water samples to return to the lab.

Sometimes it’s cold enough to want to just put the hand warmers on your face (especially when they aren’t so warm anymore). The Springfield High School In-Stream Aquatic Survey team did great on their first official survey of the year at Berggren Watershed Conservation Area back in November. We even caught glimpses of some cool fungi. Thanks for helping us coordinate this field day!