What is eutrophication?

Eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies, such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving streams, receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth (algae, periphyton attached algae, nuisance plants, weeds). This enhanced plant growth, often called an algal bloom, re-duces dissolved oxygen in the water when dead plant material decomposes and can

cause other organisms to die. Nutrients can come from many sources, such as fer-tilizers applied to agricultural fields, golf courses, and suburban lawns; deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere; erosion of soil containing nutrients; and sewage treat-ment plant discharges. Water with a low concentration of dissolved oxygen is called hypoxic. http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions

Produced by: Chipola College Science Department

August 13, 2007 Volume 1, Issue 2

Most common personal water

pollution sources are:

• Urban runoff • Home hazards, such as

motor oil, antifreeze, detergents

• Fertilizers • Pet waste • Agricultural activities Visit www.tappwater.org

for simple solutions.

Hilton Wins with Ground Water Research

by Dr. Hilton ten years ago. The study

was precipitated by obvious eutrophi-

cation, which is acceler-

ated when nitrates and

phosphorus are at high

levels.

The results indicate that

over the 10-year period

of development and

deforestation around

the springs, the nitrates

and phosphates are ac-

tually lower and that

there is no appreciable

change in pH.

Marshall indicates possi-

ble explanations for the

results for each parameter:

Lower nitrates: Even if the water is polluted by nitrogen-rich organic matter, decomposition of the matter lowers the oxygen level, which in turn slows the rate at which ammonia is oxidized to nitrites. Lower phosphates: Aquatic plants take in phosphates and make it part of their tissues.

Read more about Marshall’s journey

with his father to collect samples from

our local springs on Page 3.

Marshall Hilton, son of Chipola profes-

sor Dr. David Hilton, placed first in the

Proficiency category for

Environmental Science

and Natural Resources

Placement during the

recent state FFA compe-

tition in Orlando.

Representing Cottondale

High School, Marshall

presented his research

on ground water. The

proficiency win means

Marshall may be travel-

ing to Indianapolis in

October to represent

Florida at the 2007 Na-

tional FFA Convention.

Marshall, a senior at Cottondale High,

followed up on research conducted by

his father, Dr. David Hilton, biology

professor, ten years ago. The research

was a study of the change in levels of

nitrates, phosphates, and pH over a

ten-year period in the following

springs: Lambe, Coffin, Jackson, and

Black Hole. All of these springs feed

into Spring Lake.

Marshall’s recent measurements were

compared to the measurements taken

CHIPOLA AREA CHIPOLA AREA GROUND WATER GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTOUTREACH PROJECT

In this edition: Garden of Eden P. 2

Hilton Tests Water P. 3

Local Landfill Visit P. 4

Conservation Course Set P. 5

TAPP Educates P. 5

About Septic Systems P. 6

Unit Plan for MHS P. 7

Ground Water Ed for K-12 P. 8

Project WET at Chipola P. 9

Local Water Contamination P. 10

Water Quality Affects All P. 11

Chipola and Ground Water P. 12

Marshall Hilton wins with ground water research.

Fourteen Chipola College biology students enjoyed a tour of the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve (a.k.a. Garden of Eden Trail) during the Spring semester. Chipola professor Dr. David Hilton coordi-nated the event with Dr. Steve Herrington, Apalachicola River and Bay Coordinator with the Nature Conservancy. Dr. Herrington lead the tour through the pre-serve, which is located adjacent to the Apalachicola River between Bristol and Chattahoochee.

The 3.5 mile trail begins in the longleaf pine/wiregrass uplands, descending to the slope forest, eventually opening onto a bluff that is 135 feet above the river. The region is biologically unique to Florida and is home to many species more com-monly found in the Appalachian Moun-tains.

Two of the world’s rarest evergreens, the Florida Torreya and the Florida Yew, are found here. Along these slopes are pre-cipitous ravines and canyons with clinging Florida anise and yew. The steephead* ravines are created not by the action of surface water that is typical of most ra-vines. Instead they are created by ground water, which causes the land above it to loosen, slough off and expose a creek.

These geological and unusual steepheads may have found their last and most south-ern occurrence at the Bluffs. Croomia, Florida Yew and the Torreya are found

along the ravine slopes and are living fos-sils in one of their last natural footholds in the world. (DeFord, 1986)

The Torreya tree was used for fence posts in the nineteenth century. This -- coupled with a lethal blight in the 1950s -- has brought the species to the brink of extinc-tion. Experts at the Nature Conservancy are doubtful as to whether it can persist.

During the 1900s Baptist preacher Elvy E. Callaway wrote books claiming that this region was the Garden of Eden from which Adam came. According to Calla-way, who studied the area for more than 50 years, this area matched features de-scribed in Genesis -- the presence of the gopher wood (Torreya tree) that Noah used to build his ark and the presence of a river that splits into four rivers (as in the Apalachicola River).

The area is so rich with rare and precious botanical treasures that tours and hiking are encouraged. Many of the visitors are scientists. It was a privilege for our Chipola College students to experience this pristine paradise.

Visit www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt for more details about this and other Florida Green-ways and Trails.

*Steephead - A steep-sided valley in karst, usu-ally short, ending abruptly upstream where a stream emerges or formerly did so.

Chipola Students Hike the Garden of Eden

Page 2 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

About the preserve’s trail:

Tour: Unguided Length: 3.5 miles Surface: Unpaved trail Open: To the public Hours: Dawn to dusk Cost: Free County: Liberty Plants: Florida Torreya Florida Yew Ashe Pyramid Magnolia Florida Anise Mountain Laurel Indiangrass

Note: The hike is strenuous, with steep climbs and descents. Bring plenty of water. You may also want to bring a hiking stick to assist with steep climbs and descents.

Garden of Eden Trail

Friday, April 13, 2007, my father and I trav-eled by canoe upstream from my grandpar-ents’ house. We observed that the water was very low and a lot of grass was grow-ing in the water.

After paddling a distance, we came to Site #3, Jackson Spring. I rinsed out both sam-ple bottles by filling them and draining them with water from the spring. I filled both to the brim.

Next, we had to traverse through some reeds. I noticed that there were high amounts of algae growing in and around the reeds. Where the reeds grew, the water was deeper, so they had a good root.

After coming out of the reeds, we paddled up a run that went to the right. The water didn’t move, indicating that there was no output.

On the bottom of the run, there was a lot of organic matter (dead algae). At the end of this run was Site #4, Jones’ Spring. I repeated the same collection process.

After coming back out of the run, to get to the two other springs upstream, we had to go through some more reeds. We paddled up to Site #1, Lambe’s Spring, and I again repeated the collection process.

We were unable to paddle to Coffin Spring, Site #2, so we picked up the canoe and carried it over a dry stretch of about ten feet. Once we put the canoe back into the

water, I observed that there was an abun-dance of organic matter (dead algae). The water wasn’t deep enough to paddle for another 20 feet, so we had to walk through all the organic matter.

When we got back into the canoe, we pad-dled to Coffin Spring, Site #2. I repeated the collection process and noticed the out-flow of the spring. It was going into the sink, which was about 200 feet away. Sinks are an important way that water naturally gets back into the ground.

When we came out of Site #2, we went un-der a tree that had fallen into the creek. After that, we went through the organic matter and over the dry stretch again.

We then paddled back to the departure point. We went past it and paddled down-stream for about half of a mile. We turned right into a small run and came into Site #5, Black Hole Spring. This spring is so named because when the water is high, the color of the water is about the color of tea.

This coloration is caused by the amount of tannic acid that is put into the water from all of the decaying leaves on the brim of the spring. Many fish, including spotted gar, bass, and bream, call this spring home.

I repeated the collection process, and then we headed back upstream to the departure point and tied up. We arrived home, and I placed the samples in a protected environ-ment for testing.

Hilton Tests Water of Local Springs

My hypothesis was disproved, but low levels of nitrates may show up in nitrogen-rich areas for a variety of reasons.

I conducted this experiment to determine if development and deforestation have had an effect on the levels of nitrates, phos-phates, and pH coming out of the springs that feed into Spring Lake.

My father conducted these same tests ten years ago in 1997. My hypothesis: Since 1997, the level of nitrates have increased, but phosphates and pH have not increased. Reason: There has been an increase in the amount of eutrophication in the stream.

I took two samples from the five springs in the original tests. I ran two tests for each spring in each of the three categories: ni-trate, phosphate, and pH. I took an aver-age of the two tests and recorded them.

Research Summary

Page 3 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

By Marshall Hilton

Water samples from each spring are taken in order to test.

Marshall and his father canoe through reeds as they journey to the next testing site….

SITE # SPRING 1997 Levels 2007 Levels

1 Lambe’s 0.8 ppm 0.3 ppm

2 Coffin 0.6 ppm 0.5 ppm

3 Jackson 0.8 ppm 0.2 ppm

4 Jones * 0.8 ppm 0.1 ppm

5 Black Hole 0.4 ppm 0.3 ppm

* Measurements taken in standing water. No measurable outflow.

Nitrate Levels from Years 1997 and 2007

Each of the five springs are tested twice in the three categories.

SITE #

PHOSPHATE (ppm)

pH

1997 2007 1997 2007

1 0.2 0.1 8.5 7.5

2 0.2 0.0 8.0 8.0

3 0.6 0.2 8.0 8.5

4 * 0.0 0.1 8.2 8.5

5 0.2 0.1 7.4 7.0

Site 1 = Lambe’s Spring Site 2 = Coffin Spring Site 3 = Jackson Spring Site 4 = Jones’ Spring * Site 5 = Black Hole Spring *Measurements at Jones’ Spring were taken in standing water. There was no measurable outflow.

Phosphate and pH Levels

Chipola students prepared themselves for a muddy, stench-ridden tour of what they called “the dump”. Instead, much to their incredulity, they discovered fields of clo-ver, green hills, turtles, catfish, baby alli-gators, and wood ducks.

The Springhill Regional Landfill (not the dump) has a sanitary, modern, paved and odorless appearance. Owned and oper-ated by Waste Management, Inc., the land-fill is located in Campbellton, FL, on ap-proximately 696 acres.

The property includes retention ponds and a 1,650-foot boardwalk made of recy-cled plastic that leads through pristine wetlands. More than 30 acres are actively managed for wild-life habitats. The site contains nesting habitats for several bird species and includes ponds and wetlands for American alligators.

The landfill receives 28 tons of garbage per day and will be filled in 47 years.

The purpose of the tour was to examine the potential for water contamination by the landfill. Our tour guide, District Man-ager Achaya Kelapanda, began the tour with a PowerPoint presentation, which included details about surface and ground water protection.

The water is protected, safely enough that all water used -- including drinking water -- comes from on-site wells. The 28 wells are sampled and analyzed twice a

year. Retention ponds, constructed to thwart storm water runoff, are also sam-pled twice a year.

The essential protection lies in the de-ployment of seven layers of a synthetic liner system. The liner system consists of:

six inches of compacted clay; two layers of a 60 mil high density polyethylene liner; two layers of a synthetic geo-textile; two layers of a synthetic geo-net; and a geo-composite clay liner.

A leachate collection sys-tem drains leachate to two collection sumps. Automated pumps then pump the leachate to mul-tiple steel holding tanks. The collection system and the liner are protected by a two-foot layer of sand. The students were shown actual samples of the ma-

terials.

After a question and answer period the students toured the facility. The empha-sis was on methanogenesis*. The system of collection and conversion to electricity and service was explained and viewed.

The plant is open to tours. K-12 students are welcome, as well as college students and citizens. A classroom is under con-struction.

*Methanogenesis or biomethanation is the forma-tion of methane by a group of microbes known as methanogens.

Chipola Students Tour Local Landfill

Page 4 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

in the stacks on the first floor. Some of the titles represented are:

Ecology Green Teacher Natural History Science News Science & Children

In keeping with the Chipola Area Ground Water Outreach Project, a bulletin board that follows along with the articles of each news-letter has been created.

Located in Building D’s main lobby, the board offers article excerpts as well as a sampling of water conservation brochures that were provided by the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

Additional literature can be found in the college’s Li-brary. The Library staff have dedicated a display unit on the first floor to Florida’s springs and envi-ronmental concerns.

Other magazines and peri-odicals are also displayed

Ground Water Outreach Bulletin Board Offers Tips

Funding Funding for the for the Chipola Chipola Area Area Ground Water Ground Water Outreach Project Outreach Project provided by theprovided by the Florida DepartmentFlorida Department of Environmental of Environmental Protection.Protection.

As part of its Think Green ini-tiative, Waste Management has

converted various closed landfill sites into golf courses, model airplane fields, BMX racetrack, athletic com-plexes, and wildlife habitats.

Many active landfill sites are also serv-ing area residents in various capaci-ties.

Pictured above is a closed landfill site in Northbrook, Illinois, that is now a nine-hole golf course.

At the Penn Warner Club outside Phila-delphia (shown above), an active Waste Management landfill includes a 6,000-acre landfill buffer zone.

The zone provides area residents with recreational opportunities such as camping, fishing and boating.

The zone is now home to blue heron, snowy egrets and osprey nesting sites, as well as the endangered redbelly turtle.

For more details about this initiative and other projects, visit www.wm.com.

Page 5 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

Chipola’s Department of Natural Science will offer a new course called Conserva-tion Biology during the Fall se-mester of 2007. The addition of this course will increase the diversity of course offerings, provide an academic course to promote ground water out-reach, and help establish Chipola College as a rural sci-ence center.

Dr. David Hilton is tentatively scheduled to teach the course for the first time in August. The course description is as follows:

This course (Conservation Biology) will concentrate on the conservation and man-agement of our natural resources. Special emphasis will be placed on aquatic, forest and wildlife management.

Topics will also include the biological im-pact of population growth, pollution and

government regulations. The course will highlight past and present conservation move-ments and the need for a sus-tainable society.

Students will be required to participate in a research project that will include field experi-ences and a service project.

The class will meet three hours per week, which includes class-room and field experiences.

Prerequisites are high school biology, BSC 1005, or depart-

ment consent.

The course textbook is Natural Resource Conservation: Management for a Sustain-able Future by Chiras, Reganold & Owen, Ninth Edition, 2005.

Conservation Biology Course Set for Fall

TAPP Educates About Personal Water Quality

From the TAPPwater.org website -- “North Florida’s unique water systems are very close to the land surface and susceptible to contamination from run-off in rain events. Having clean water is of primary importance for public health and economy. Educating the community with pollution-prevention tactics is the best way to preserve these waters and the beauty of the land-scapes. Through the efforts of TAPP, public awareness will be heightened concern-ing the importance of indi-vidual actions in cleaning up local storm-water runoff.”

The website (Think About Personal Pollu-tion or TAPP) provides simple and useful tips for preventing water pollution on a personal level -- small things that each person can do.

The TAPP educational campaign is innova-tive and memorable, from the TV spots to the brochures. One example of TAPP’s TV

spots is featured in the photo strips to the left and below. Other information on the website includes creating a rain garden,

reclaiming water via a rain barrel, and maintaining a septic system.

The TAPP campaign has won several awards for its creativ-ity and innovation. Chipola College has incorporated the TV spots and other TAPP information into the Ground Water Outreach Project as the professors travel to the district schools to present related workshops and semi-

nars.

TAPP offers community outreach events and activities. Located in Tallahassee, the organization assists groups with educa-tion and demonstrations on various cam-paign topics, such as how to create a rain garden.

Visit www.tappwater.org for more infor-mation on how you can protect or improve your personal water quality.

Chad Taylor, farmer and concerned citizen of Jackson County, spoke with Chipola’s 4-year science education students on March 6. The topic was septic tanks and their potential effects on ground water.

Taylor explained the structure and components of a typical septic tank and pro-vided a diagram of the compo-nents. A septic tank consists of a concrete tank, which houses anaerobic bacte-ria. The bacteria breaks down solids such that the effluent is clear.

The effluent travels through perforated pipes to a drainfield. The perforations in the pipe allow for the percolation and fil-tration of water through the soil. The typical tank holds approximately 1,000 to 2,000 gallons. According to our local health code, the drain field must be lo-cated 200 ft from any water well.

Taylor also discussed septic tank hazards and environmental concerns. The karst or limestone which contains our drinking water is located near the surface. There is

little soil for filtration. Nitrates, a princi-pal contaminate, find their way into our ground water.

Our water resource is fragile…. As a re-sult of nitrates, Blue Springs is the second

most polluted first magnitude spring in Florida.

Taylor suggested one way to avoid further nitrate accumulation is to add an aerobic bacterial system to the septic tank. This would reduce the amount of nitrates produced

from approximately 10 pounds to 1 pound per year. This issue is being ad-dressed.

Taylor also suggested that the 1,000 to 2,000 gallon tank should be pumped once every three years, considering that that the average water usage is 150 gal per day per person.

Taylor noted that the population in Jack-son County is expected to increase, with 1100 people per day entering the state. The increased population will continue to affect our water quality.

Septic Systems Affect Water Quality

Page 6 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

tices, maintaining the system and watching for signs of failure are key. Preventative practices include:

• improving the quality of wastewater

• reducing the amount of wastewater

• protecting the leach field

Some measures to follow:

• Do not use the system as a wastebasket or pour unnecessary additives into it.

• Conserve water. The less water entering the system, the less turbulence and bet-ter settling will occur.

• Protect the leach field. Avoid compacting the soil and crushing the pipes. Do not plant trees over or near it or place heavy objects like swimming pools on it.

• Have the tank pumped out every 3-5 years, in order to remove the solids that cannot be broken down.

For more info on the care of your septic tank, visit www.tappwater.org/septic-care.pdf.

The invention of the septic tank is credited to Frenchman John Louis Mouras. Mouras constructed a masonry tank during the 1860s and filled it with various household waste. The outflow was designed to over-flow into a cesspool.

The tank was opened after about a dozen years and was found to be almost free of solids. Mouras collaborated with a priest/scientist, Abbe Moigno, to patent his inven-tion on September 2, 1881.

It is believed that the septic tank was intro-duced to the US in 1883, England in 1895 and South Africa (by the British military) in 1898.

Although Mouras found the septic tank to be almost free of solids, today it is recom-mended that proper maintenance be per-formed on a septic system. Poorly main-tained septic systems can be a significant source of water pollution.

According to TAPPwater.org, proper site location, design and installation are all criti-cal to the effective functioning and long life of a septic system. Using preventative prac-

Water Quality Starts in the Home

Septic System Facts

According to TAPPwater.org, septic systems can treat wastewater better than most sewage treatment facilities at a fraction of the cost and can last indefinitely.

The catch?

Homeowners must make sure the system is properly designed, installed and maintained.

Did you know: • Failing and inadequate septic sys-tems are a leading source of pollu-tion in this country today and a major health risk.

• Septic tank failures can result from improper installation, blockage, pipe damage or by overloading the sys-tem.

• You should have your septic tank pumped out and inspected every 3-5 years.

• You should never park or drive over the drain field. This compacts the soil and destroys the natural drain-ing ability of the soil.

• You should never put any foreign objects, acidic cleaners and toiletries down the drain. This can upset the bacterial balance of the system, which keeps it functioning.

Septic tank

Leach field with

plastic leaching chambers placed in trenches

Chipola science teacher candidates and alternative certification teachers recently created a unit plan on ground water. The unit plan was a cooperative learning exer-cise for a required course entitled Teach-ing Methods in Secondary Science in Chipola’s baccalaureate program.

The teacher candidates, Carole Chandler, Rachel Edminson, and Liz Sims, collabo-rated with two of Chipola’s alternative certification teachers, Betty Taylor and Tammy Yates.

The college students implemented the unit plan with Marianna High School chemistry stu-dents under the direc-tion of Whitney Cherry, instructor and a gradu-ate of Chipola’s first class of baccalaureate students in Secondary Science Education, and Randy Ward, Principal of Marianna High School. Greg Granger, Chipola’s science intern, collaborated with his supervising teacher, Regina Sizemore, and her stu-dents at Grand Ridge Middle School and Ms. Westmoreland, Principal.

Inductive teaching, is a preferred way to motivate K-12 students (Prince, 2007). Two forms of induction were used de-pending upon student ability:

1) inquiry-based learning where students were presented with a problem or researchable question. The students designed the experi-ment and interpreted the data to answer the question.

2) problem-based learning where the students constructed their own researchable question and then designed and executed the experi-ment.

In general, the researchable question evolved as what is the effect of well water site on the following parameters: ammo-nia, calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, ni-trates, pH, and E. coli.

Each student in each of the three chemistry classes used the same deta i led Jackson County Map to pin-point the exact loca-tion of their wells.

Students were each given a sterile con-tainer and instructions on collecting their well water samples. The same day each pa-rameter was tested by

each student or pairs of students. The data was recorded.

Their data tables were presented in the format shown below. Note that “Well Map Site” code represents area, class, group respectively.

On the last day the students reviewed their journals, which included their re-searchable questions, data, and conclu-sions. Their initial questions precipitated questions for future research. Once they determined whether or not a relationship existed between well site and the parame-ter, they would endeavor to look more

(Continued on page 8)

Teacher Candidates Plan Unit with MHS

Page 7 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

Chipola College science teacher can-didate Carole Chandler assists MHS students with project details.

Chipola College science teacher can-didates Liz Sims (left) and Rachel Edminson (right) consult about their unit plan.

Betty Taylor (left) discusses project objectives with two Marianna High students.

Alternative certification teacher Tammy Yates explains the process to Marianna High School chemistry students.

Page 8 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

K-12 Need Education in Ground Water

Incorporating ground water into the K-12 curriculum for scientific literacy is an im-perative. The voting public, including students and pre-service teachers, must prepare themselves to make informed decisions. They should know the source of their water supply and how it is replen-ished and protected. Our present lack of understanding is due to four problems.1

First, research and teaching focuses on the water cycle, which is broader. The position of ground water in the cycle and its effects have been neglected.

Second, the term ground water and sub-surface processes are not mentioned in the K-12 National Science Standards. These concrete concepts would enhance the more abstract concepts of condensa-tion and evaporation already explicit in the document enabling students to create mental images prerequisite to their under-standing of earth science.

Third, spatial visualization is prerequisite to students’ development of mental mod-els and understanding of college geology. Essential to students’ ground water spatial visualization is the teachers’ understand-ing and formal instruction, which is inade-quate.

Fourth, assessments which consist of defi-nitions and multiple choice questions may not assess understanding. For exam-ple, terms such as porosity and permeabil-ity may be accurately defined but not un-derstood in the context of the water cycle and even more specifically with respect to ground water.

Suggestions for improvement are implicit in each of the aforementioned problems.

The curriculum should consist of fewer topics but presented in depth. This is difficult for teachers who lack the peda-gogical content knowledge.

Varieties of assessments and strategies should be addressed to discern student misconceptions and to enhance students’ spatial reasoning. Some of these strate-gies include the use of three dimensional instructional materials, inquiry-based sci-entific fieldwork, concept mapping, three dimensional models, and alternate assess-ments. Core sections or hand specimens of various types of rock -- so students may feel the differences in the density of a high porosity sandstone, limestone and gneiss -- enhance understanding of pore size and spatial reasoning.

Without including ground water, the study of the water cycle is incomplete and so is mental visualization. Student prior knowl-edge should be ascertained in pre-assessments. And all assessments should include student drawings of the complete water cycle.

In summary, enhancing pre-service teach-ers’ scientific literacy (and so their stu-dents and the voting public) with respect to ground water must include the study of core concepts, a plethora of instructional strategies, alternative assessments, and the development of standards to be in-cluded in the National and Sunshine State Standards.

1 Dickerson, Penick, Dawkins & Van Sickle, 2007

This article is a summary of “Groundwater in Sci-ence Education”, which appears in the Journal of Science Teacher Education (2007) 18:45-61.

closely at the topography, and distances from industry, for example.

This activity underscores the necessity of including ground water in our national science education standards. Students should be taught the water cycle using three dimensional models and, most im-portantly, they must incorporate ground water into the water cycle models.

A discussion on the importance of includ-ing ground water in the national curricu-lum appears in the Journal of Science Teacher Education (Vol. 18, No. 1, Febru-

(Continued from page 7)

Chipola professor Dr. Santine Cuccio discusses data results with Marianna High chemistry student.

Area high school teachers recently at-tended a water education program that targets Florida’s teachers and other edu-cators who work with students in K through 12 grades. Gregory Ira, Director of Environmental Education in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and his team presented “Project WET: Water Education for Teachers” at Malone High School, Chipola College’s Academic Center of Excellence (ACE), and Florida Caverns State Park.

According to the DEP, “the goal of Project WET is to facilitate and promote aware-ness, appreciation, knowledge and stew-ardship of water resources through the development and dissemination of class-room-ready teaching aids, and through the establishment of internationally and state-sponsored Project WET programs.”

The purpose of the workshop was to:

• refine field lab activities

• orient teachers to the LIFE program (Learning in Florida’s Environment)

• examine field lab delivery (including the use of equipment)

• identify pre- and post-field lab activi-ties in each subject area

• address logistics of field experiences

• clarify project management

• outline professional development needs and opportunities

• and explore partnerships with other organizations.

Specifically, teachers tested the initial environmental science field labs and loca-tions, finalized pre- and post-activities for their particular subject area and deter-mined how they will work as a team throughout the year.

The goal of the workshop is to ensure that the needs of all participating teachers are met and that their active participation in the program will generate measurable benefits to their students, themselves and their school.

The extent to which teachers integrate the field experiences into their existing curriculum will vary but should at a mini-mum involve one reflective journal entry and the use/manipulation of data gener-ated by at least one field lab.

Teachers attending the workshop in-cluded: Kim Barber; Gail Porter; Preston Roberts; Dena Ward; Karen Pannell; Charles Trotman; Dawn Barone; Cindy Padgett; Caren Prichard; Sarah Sims; Tammy Yates; Diane Miles; Theresa Ro-mer; and Betty Taylor.

Project WET Presents Workshop at Chipola

Page 9 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

The Florida Department of Environmental Pro-tection – together with Florida’s Water Manage-ment Districts – supports the professional de-velopment of teachers and non-formal educa-tors through the nationally recognized Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) program. The Office of Environmental Education conducts regularly scheduled workshops in the Panhan-dle region and supports area specific requests on a case-by-case basis.

Project WET (Water Education for Teach-ers) is an exciting interdisciplinary water education program for Florida's teachers and other educators work-ing with young people in grades K­12. The program can be integrated into the existing curricula of a school, museum, university pre-service class or community organization.

The goal of Project WET is to facilitate and pro-mote awareness, appreciation, knowledge and stewardship of water resources through the development and dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids, and through the establish-ment of internationally and state-sponsored

From the Website of Project WET in the Panhandle

Project WET programs.

The Project WET curriculum correlates to Florida's Sunshine State Standards. Project WET activities promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and are easily integrated into subjects such as:

• Chemistry and physics

• Life science, earth systems and natural resources

• Social studies

• History

• Language arts, fine arts and culture

The original WET program was developed in 1984 by the North Dakota State Water Commission. National Project WET is located on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont.

Materials generated from the national office are distributed through more than 40 state Project WET programs. The program is similar to Project Learning Tree and Project WILD.

In Florida, Project WET is sponsored by the St. Johns River, Suwannee River, Southwest Florida and South Florida water management districts and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

On the Web

For more details about:

LIFE, visit:

www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/ed/

Project WET, visit:

www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/ed/profdev/wet.htm

or

www.projectwet.org/index.html

Page 10 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

Dean Discusses Contamination in Jackson County

The history of ground water contamina-tion in Jackson County was explained in Chipola’s secondary science methods class on March 13 by Bill Dean, Environ-mental Health Director of the Jackson County Health Department.

The talk was one of many which the Health Department provides to teachers, administrators, nurses, and college stu-dents. There are at least 16 other envi-ronmental issues some of which include pandemic flu, rabies, and arsenic. Chipola is looking forward to another presentation through our Health Department, a vital community resource.

Dean shared some of his 30 years of ex-perience sampling water and finding contaminants in Jack-son County’s ground water. He explained how each of the following contaminants impacted Jackson County and local wells.

Lead contamination occurred sometime between 1970 and 1980 by way of the Sapp Battery Plant, located between Cot-tondale and Alford in Jackson County. The Department of Environmental Regula-tion (now the Department of Environ-mental Protection) won an $11-million judgment against the plant in July of 1981. However, only $11,000 has been collected.

As a result of the contamination, well wa-ter filters were installed on private water wells in the area.

Lead flowing through the ground water is very slow -- at a rate of 1-foot per year. Lead, which can cause childhood brain disorders, is carefully monitored. Thirty-two wells out of 117 have tested positive.

Ethylene dibromide (EDB) was discovered in drinking water wells in Jackson County in 1983. EDB is a soil fumigant or nema-tocide. It is most lethal when applied to the skin. It is used to protect the peanut crops. Approximately 27,360 gallons of EDB were utilized.

The town of Bascom was the most con-taminated, with 20 percent of its wells affected. Instead of coming up from the soil, the EDB contamination went down. The weather is believed to have caused this affect, since it was very wet and cloudy that year. The sandy soil, with poor filtration, exacerbated the contamination of the aquifer. Well water is of best quality when there is clay soil for filtration.

Nitrates are periodically measured in Blue Springs, which is a mirror of the Floridan aquifer. The MCL (maximum control level) is 10 mg/L (10 parts per million), with a current level of 2.5-3 in the wells. Levels in the Springs are somewhat higher.

Nitrate levels at or above the 10 mg/L level have been known to cause a poten-tially fatal blood disorder in infants under 6 months of age. Methemoglobinemia or “blue baby syndrome” occurs when there is a reduction in the oxygen-carrying ca-

pacity of blood. In regard to the envi-ronment, rising ni-trates increases eu-trophication and harmful algal blooms (HAB), as evidenced in Merritt’s Mill Pond.

Acidity, a secondary contaminant type

(such as iron or manganese), was de-tected in 2001. Nine wells were reported to have pH values in the lowest range of 3.5. Well owners complained that their water was “eating” their plumbing. The appearance of green copper precipitate can indicate the presence of acid water. The acidity is higher the more shallow the well.

Arsenic was detected in 2003 in a well bordering Merritt’s Mill Pond, on the west side. In the Fall of 2004, the affected area was extended. This carcinogen tar-gets the skin, liver and kidneys. Since then it is known to exist in a natural vein. All of the wells in this area are no longer in use; the consumers are on city water.

Cattle Dip Vats (CDV) were another venue for ground water contamination. By state law, all cattle, horses, mules, goats and other animals susceptible to the cattle fever tick were required to be dipped every 14 days.

Dean noted that you should have your well water tested periodically and make sure necessary controls are in place. You may be in a prioritized area, such as 1000 feet from a peanut field, or you may be a person at high risk.

It should be noted that boiling water does not reduce the contaminants. Instead, boiling concentrates the contaminants.

Visit the Jackson County Health Depart-ment’s website at:

www.doh.state.fl.us/chdJackson

The DER became involved in the Sapp Battery contamination issue in 1977 when it was noted that cy-press trees in the Steel City Bay Marsh

and beyond were showing the ill ef-fects of the battery acid discharge.

The EPA conducted limited emergency remedial actions during 1980 to con-trol runoff. Other measures were taken to neutralize the acid water.

New monitoring wells were installed in July of 2006 and subsequent testing of ground water samples has shown that contaminants have declined.

The site’s status is still active, requir-ing routine monitoring and periodic clean-up.

About Sapp Battery

The EPA states that private wells should be tested annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria to detect contamination prob-lems early.

The EPA does not test your private well water and cannot recommend specific labs to perform the testing. Instead the EPA offers the following information:

Your state certifies drinking water laboratories that can test your water for various chemicals, nutrients, con-taminants, etc. Tests range in cost from $15 to several hundreds of dol-lars.

Visit the EPA website for a list of state certification officers and to search for a lab to conduct your test:

www.epa.gov/safewater/labs

Testing Your Water

Some people are more vulnerable to water contaminants. People undergoing

chemotherapy or living with HIV/AIDS, transplant patients, children and in-fants, the frail elderly, and pregnant women and their fetuses can be par-ticularly at risk for infections.

Visit the EPA website for more infor-mation about special health care needs and drinking water precautions.

www.epa.gov/safewater/healthcare

People at Risk

Page 11 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

Poor Water Quality Affects Us All

Poor water quality affects us all.

Who or what in your life

could be adversely affected by poor water quality?

Chipola College has received funding for a Department of Environmental Protection grant, titled the Chipola Area Ground Water Outreach Project. This project is designed to provide Chipola’s science students and Chipola’s pre-service science teachers with opportunities to engage in learning activities with middle and high school students, focus-ing on the value of ground water to all users.

This project will introduce ground water as a valuable resource to the Chipola College district students and communities in the counties of Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Lib-erty and Washington. Ground water is a valuable and immediate resource, which, when misused, has immediate repercussions for the land, animals, and residents of a re-gion.

Further, Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) is an initiative to establish a series of field-based, environmental-science, educa-tion programs around the state.

The initiative includes a focus on:

a) alignment with Florida Sunshine State standards

b) emphasis on observation and infer-ence as critical components of the scientific method

c) integration of all subject areas by connecting field experiences with pre- and post-classroom lessons, in addi-tion to other guiding principles.

An educator group consisting of middle and high school science instructors, and Chipola's Science faculty and B.S. Science Education majors will be developed. This group will promote, develop and implement hands-on learning activities to understand ground water value and will disseminate information to our stakeholders.

Stakeholders consist of:

• our children who are long-term learn-ers

• college and young adults who are mid-term learners

• short-term learners who are adults in the community

Chipola Focuses on Ground Water

Page 12 GROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECTGROUND WATER OUTREACH PROJECT

Editor/Designer: Glenda Bethel Contributing Writers: Santine Cuccio David Hilton Allan Tidwell Vicki Mathis

Newsletter Credits

Calhoun County

Bonnie Fagen, Juan Lima, Shannon Romer, Sally Sims

Holmes County

Janice Andrews, Dawn Barone

Jackson County

Rebecca Beasley, Amanda Bloomer, Amanda Clark, Karen Pannell, Paulat Wright

Liberty County

Washington County

Greta Draayom, Cindy Padgett, Gail Porter, Caren Prichard, Jackie Stokes-Taylor

Other Partners

Greg Ira - Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Learning In Florida's Environment

(LIFE) Program, 850-245-2132

James Dodson - Florida DEP Ground Water Protection Section, 850-245-8230

Project Co-Directors:

Ground Water Outreach

Santine Cuccio, Ph.D.

cuccios@chipola.edu

David Hilton, D.C.

hiltond@chipola.edu

Jackson Blue Springs

Working Group

Allan Tidwell, MS

tidwella@chipola.edu

Grant Writer/Project Manager:

Vicki Mathis

mathisv@chipola.edu

Five District School Partners

Project Info

Calhoun County Health Department 850-674-5645

Holmes County Health Department 850-547-8500

Jackson County Health Department 850-482-9227

Liberty County Health Department 850-643-2415

Washington County Health Department 850-638-6260

Contacts for Water Quality and Septic Tank Issues

On the Web More details regarding the Chipola

Area Ground Water Outreach Project

can be found on the Chipola College

website or by visiting:

http://www.chipola.edu/grants

Visit Florida’s Department of Environ-

mental Protection website for more

info on water resources.

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/

Funding Funding for the for the Chipola Area Chipola Area Ground Water Ground Water Outreach Project Outreach Project provided by theprovided by the Florida DepartmentFlorida Department of Environmental of Environmental Protection.Protection.