Why
educate about stormwater, nonpoint source pollution and watersheds?
Whether they know it or not, every citizen of New Jersey may
contribute to polluted stormwater runoff through his or her
daily activities such as fertilizing the lawn, throwing litter
down storm drains or not cleaning after pets. As a result,
polluted stormwater runoff from the surrounding watershed
is one of the greatest threats to many of our ponds, creeks,
lakes, wells, streams, rivers, bays, ground water and the
ocean. Simple changes in daily lifestyle can make a tremendous
difference in the quality of New Jersey's water resources.
How can we help you conduct
outreach and education about water?
The DWM has many tools to assist you in your stormwater, nonpoint
source pollution or watershed education effort. These
include newsletters and brochures for the community at large
as well as teacher workshops, free classroom presentations
through the New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program and free
publications for students and teachers. In addition,
the DWM works in partnership with many outside organizations
such as the Watershed Partnership for New Jersey (WPNJ), the
Watershed Institute, and the watershed associations, governement
agencies, environmental groups involved in watershed activities
across the state.
Resources available through
the NJDEP Division of Watershed Management
The New Jersey
Watershed Ambassadors Program
The New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program is a community-oriented
AmeriCorps environmental program designed to raise awareness
about water issues in New Jersey. Through this program,
AmeriCorps members are placed across the state to serve their
local communities. Watershed Ambassadors monitor the
rivers of New Jersey through Visual Assessment and Biological
Assessment volunteer monitoring protocols. The members
train community volunteers on how to use these two volunteer
monitoring techniques. Watershed Ambassadors also make
presentations to community organizations and schools.
These interactive presentations provide information about
water and watershed issues in New Jersey. The presentations
can be tailored to the interests of the audience. Members
educate students and citizens about water issues and empower
them to get involved in their watershed.
Contact: Michelle Ruggiero
NJ Watershed Ambassadors
List
Project
WET (Water Education for Teachers)
Project WET is a nationally renowned program that offers
teachers a better understanding about the world's water resources
through hands-on, multi-disciplinary lessons. Project
WET is the only program that teaches about the importance
and value of water in our every day life with formal and non-formal
educators while offering specialized programs about New Jersey's
water resources and watersheds. NJ Project WET is a
well-rounded program that focuses on water supply, water quality,
water conservation, watershed management, land use planning
and wetlands. Project WET provides educators with accurate
insight into critical water issues while offering a large
selection of creative teaching strategies.
In addition to workshops, NJ
Project WET reaches another 5,000 students annually and an
estimated 12,000 parents, volunteers, educators and administrators
through its Water Festival Grant Program. A Water Festival
is a one-day celebration of water with a focus on a school's
watershed. Students participate in a series of learning
stations that examine water use over time, water's role in
shaping our country, what a watershed is, how water is cleaned
and used again, how a molecule travels through the water cycle
and much more. The festivals involve the community and
attract positive media attention that reaches thousands of
people across the state.
NJ Project WET offers a unique
learning opportunity for high school students and teachers
through its Watershed Stewards Program. This program
focuses on a weekend leadership workshop for a high school
team of four or five students. The are provided instruction
and training in watershed topics and team-building experiences
that prepare them to focus on a watershed service project
that will address an environmental concern. Each Watershed
Steward Team must work with three community organizations
and solicit another 20 volunteers to assist with the project.
Participants receive a small grant to conduct a Watershed
Steward Project.
Contact: Kyra
Hoffmann
Project
WET Schedule and Information
Harbor
Watershed / Urban Fishing Program
The goal of the Urban Fishing Program is to educate young
students living in the Newark Bay Complex about the hazards
of eating contaminated fish and help them to discover the
beauty of the great natural resource. Students who participate
in the program sample recreational opportunities that the
bay has to offer while learning how to be responsible citizens
within the estuary. The students experience four days
of intense yet enjoyable instruction related to the Newark
Bay Complex. Throughout the four days students are given
hands-on experiences, which will endure with them over a lifetime.
The program also includes a storm drain marking program that
can help municipalities fulfill their stormwater permitting
requirements. The program is currently offered in Newark,
Jersey City, Bayonne and Elizabeth.
Contact: Eileen
Thornton
Clean Water
Raingers Program
This program offers educators a number of teaching materials
for their students as well as background information on watersheds
and nonpoint source pollution. Educators who participate
in the Clean Waters Raingers Program are provided with free
booklets and associated materials for their elementary school
age students. The Clean Water Raingers Coloring Book,
How to be a Clean Water Rainger Booklet and the Clean
Water Raingers stickers are also popular giveaways at
family oriented events and festivals. These publications
are also available online on the Department's environmental
education web page.
Contact: Kyra
Hoffmann
Watershed
Watch Volunteer Monitoring Program
The Division has begun to implement a Volunteer Monitoring
Program over the last several years. The Division is now taking
a tiered approach to Volunteer Monitoring. This approach recognizes
the different purposes for collecting volunteer data: Education,
Stewardship, Community Assessment and Indicators. Each of
these has a different level of scientific rigor associated
with them. With the assistance of the Watershed Watch Network
Advisory Committee, the Division is working to better coordinate
volunteer water monitoring programs across the state and provide
a forum for discussion of pertinent topics. The Division also
provides training on its biological assessment and visual
assessment protocols.
Contact: Danielle
Donkersloot
Volunteer Monitoring
Program Page
Publications
The DWM produces a number of publications that are available
for free distribution by municipalities, watershed associations,
environmental groups or other organizations. These include
What's A Watershed? Brochure, New Jersey's Watersheds
Poster, and Watershed Focus Newsletter.
Watershed Focus is a free newsletter
that includes articles of interest to municipal officials,
environmental groups, concerned citizens and water professionals
on watershed management, stormwater, nonpoint source pollution
and water education. To subscribe, please email a request
to kyra.hoffmann@dep.state.nj.us
Contact: Kyra Hoffmann or Erin
Brodel
DWM Publication Page
