Red Bank Elementary School’s Stream Team has successfully completed their stewardship program for the year! Fifth-grade students collaborated with WaterWays staff to install livestakes—cuttings from native shrubs and trees—along the banks of Mountain Creek. This creek is identified as impaired, appearing on the EPA’s 303d list, indicating that it does not fully support recreational activities due to issues like E. coli, sedimentation, and habitat alteration.
WaterWays Stream Teams consist of environmentally conscious students who meet regularly throughout the school year to explore their local waterways. At Stream Team, children engage in hands-on science, learning the fundamentals of water quality testing, flow measurement, macro-invertebrate sampling, common creek restoration techniques, and the overall ecosystem.
Each Stream Team is also required to undertake a stewardship project.
The Red Bank team focused on strengthening the stream bank by installing livestakes. These cuttings will root along the stream’s edge, eventually developing a robust root system that will help prevent sediment erosion downstream. We are incredibly proud of this year’s team and wish them the best of luck as they transition to middle school! We hope they continue to champion their local watersheds.
