Today in the Scajaquada Creek Environmental Science Lab (SCESL), our AP Environmental Science students took a hands-on approach to understanding pollution in watersheds. Using a model watershed, they demonstrated how plastics, fertilizers, and other contaminants move through aquatic systems.
A Hands-On Approach to Watershed Science
Our students built a scaled-down version of a watershed, simulating rainfall, runoff, and pollution transport. Through this model, they observed how pollutants accumulate and travel, affecting not only local ecosystems but entire interconnected waterways. They explored:
💧 How stormwater runoff carries fertilizers, road salt, and plastics into streams and rivers.
🚧 The role of impervious surfaces, such as parking lots, in increasing pollution levels.
🌊 How pollution doesn’t stop at one location—it moves through the watershed, eventually reaching larger bodies of water like the Great Lakes.
Connecting Local Issues to Global Challenges
While our focus was on the Scajaquada Creek, students quickly recognized that the issues we see locally mirror challenges faced worldwide. As one student noted, “Everything that happens upstream impacts what’s downstream.” This concept applies not just to Buffalo’s waterways but also to major river systems around the world, from the Mississippi River to the Amazon and beyond.
We discussed:
🌊 Plastic Pollution: Microplastics travel through storm drains and streams, eventually reaching the Great Lakes and the oceans.
🌾 Fertilizer Runoff: Excess nutrients contribute to harmful algal blooms (HABs), reducing oxygen levels and harming aquatic life.
💧 Urban Development & Water Quality: Human activity dramatically influences watershed health, especially in cities where natural filtration is limited.
Why This Matters
Our students left class today with a deeper understanding of watershed dynamics and pollution transport, but more importantly, they saw how local action can have global impact. From reducing single-use plastics to advocating for green infrastructure, they now have the tools to be changemakers in their communities.
Next Steps: Intercepting & Monitoring Litter with Litta-Traps
To move from learning to action, the Buffalo Sewer Authority will be installing Litta-Trap litter collection devices at key storm drain locations near Scajaquada Creek. Our students will take on the role of intercepting and monitoring the debris, collecting data on litter accumulation and pollution sources.
🛑 Tracking plastics and debris before they reach the waterway.
📊 Analyzing real-world data to understand pollution patterns.
🌎 Supporting community cleanup efforts with measurable impact.
By actively participating in environmental monitoring, our students are contributing valuable data to improve local water quality and support broader efforts to reduce plastic pollution in waterways.
💡 Stay tuned for updates as we collect, analyze, and report on our findings from the Litta-Traps!
#SCESL #APES #GreatLakes #WatershedScience #EnvironmentalEducation #ScajaquadaCreek #LittaTrap #PlasticPollutionPrevention
