The Enterprise - White Salmon, Washington

`Water Jam' teaches students about salmon, watershed health

As popular as ever

Jesse Burkhardt

May 25, 2010

Despite a bit of hard rain now and then, the third annual "Water Jam" -- held in Underwood on May 20-21 -- was as popular as the first one in 2008. And organizers promise there will be many more to come.

"The primary goal of `Water jam' is to provide local students with information on watershed, conservation, and salmon recovery topics," explained Margaret Neuman, executive director of Mid-Columbia Fisheries, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring self-sustaining salmon and steelhead populations. "Many local students raise salmon in fish tanks in their classrooms and learn about salmon life cycles through that program. The Water Jam deepens students' understanding of the topics covered through the `Salmon in the Classroom' program, as well as reaching some students who are not currently raising salmon."

The Water Jam is geared to fourth-grade students from around the region, and brings in approximately 350 students over a two-day period. Schools involved in the program include White Salmon's Whitson Elementary School, as well as fourth-graders from schools in Trout Lake, Dallesport, Carson, Mill A, Skamania, Klickitat, and Goldendale.

According to Cheri Anderson, Columbia Gorge information/education officer for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Water Jam was created by Anderson and Neuman after they attended the "Salmon Summit" in the Tri-Cities a few years ago. Anderson and Neuman were presenters at that event, and afterwards they decided a similar workshop would be valuable in the Columbia River Gorge.

"We get great feedback from the teachers," said Anderson. "While it is a fun day outdoors -- which is another of the goals from my agency, to get kids learning outside -- there is a lot of reinforcement for all they have learned with the salmon unit and also new learning as well. What makes it so great is that they are learning about this throughout the school year, and getting it reinforced."

The activities involved in the Water Jam, held at the Underwood Community Center and park, include a variety of useful information and fun activities.

For example:

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service created a miniature golf course that uses putting golf to help illustrate salmon migration and the life cycle of salmon;

The Yakama Nation teaches the students about watershed health and restoration and also has a storyteller who focuses on providing a cultural background regarding salmon and watershed health;

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers teaches kids about water safety;

NOAA Fisheries educate kids about the salmon life cycle;

The Underwood Conservation District discusses macro-invertebrates and water quality issues;

Columbia Riverkeeper discusses the water cycle;

Klickitat & Skamania counties educates the youngsters about recycling and reducing waste; and

The U.S. Forest Service teaches the fourth-graders about wildlife and their adaptations, including a unique display of animal pelts and skulls.

"The students and teachers love this event, because the presenters make it a lot of fun," Neuman said. "We have surveyed the teachers about the event and the various stations, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The teachers appreciate how the event reinforces science concepts."