Youth in Zionsville were on their last week of summer break Aug. 5 through 11.
But those students still dove into education opportunities, taking part in Zionsville Creek Week.
Creek Week is Zionsville’s annual celebration of Eagle Creek. Activities include creek cleanups, creek stomps and hands-on educational programs to keep people engaged with the creek as a natural resource and teach participants how to be good stewards of the environment.
“Any event that brings awareness to adults and children about keeping our waterways clean and protected has a positive impact,” said Jennifer Lawrence, executive director of Boone County Solid Waste Management District, which sponsored the weeklong event with the Zionsville Parks Foundation. “The creek cleanup specifically has been a long-standing event in the Town of Zionsville. Even though the look of the event has changed over the years, it has repeatedly made a difference in leaving Eagle Creek cleaner each and every time.”
Creek Week focuses on education and cleanup where Eagle Creek runs through Zionsville.
Eagle Creek is one of the greater Indianapolis area’s most important natural resources. Besides providing opportunities for hiking, fishing, boating and other recreational activities, the creek serves as the drinking water supply for much of the region.
Creek Week participants learned about water quality with hands-on activities that involved both bioindicators — searching for pollution intolerant species such as mayflies and crawdads that indicate a healthy water system — and chemical tests — checking the pH and temperature of the water to make sure it was compatible with aquatic life.
Participants also spent time in simple clean-up mode — pulling trash, plastics and man-made debris out of the creek during several activities that meant getting directly into the water.
Lawrence said events like Creek Week provide an added educational component to the creek, already highlighted throughout Zionsville by an extended trail system and several parks with creekside access.
“We are very fortunate to have a plethora of educational resources open to families throughout Zionsville and surrounding communities,” Lawrence said. “The parks department, libraries and even the district host free educational programs that focus on environmental stewardship. We would encourage all families to research, join e-newsletter lists and follow multiple organizations on social media to learn about the latest opportunities.”
Local Scouts spent time at the creek at Overley-Worman Park Aug. 8 learning about water quality, water temperature, oxygenation, pH levels and which creatures and critters call Eagle Creek home.
Participants said they learned about Eagle Creek’s natural inhabitants — some of which they didn’t realize were in the creek, like mayfly larvae and crawdads.
“I like to touch the crawdads because they tickle and they’re so cute,” said Iris Nabbe, 8, who earned a merit badge for Girl Scouts by participating in Creek Week.
Sixth-grader Cormac Morlan, 11, said he enjoyed the frogs and crawdads the group caught on Scout Day.
“I’ve been to a lot of things like this, they’re really fun,” he said. “My favorite thing about what we learned about Eagle Creek is that this is our drinking water.”
Lawrence said education and stewardship at Eagle Creek stretches far beyond Zionsville’s borders.
“Watersheds feed into creeks, creeks feed into rivers, rivers combine into larger rivers and eventually reach an ocean,” she said. “So, whether you enjoy playing in the water, catching frogs, fishing for the biggest catch of your life and love the ocean, it is important to know our waterways are all connected and keeping each and every one of them clean should always be a priority. Even though you may feel like you cannot make a difference, preventing litter from yourself and your family is an excellent way to start.”
Creek Week was co-sponsored by the Zionsville Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that exists to preserve, enhance and grow a thriving system of parks for education and wellness.
Learn more about foundation sponsored activities at zparksfoundation.org.
CREEK WEEK — EDUCATION FOR ALL
Creek Week isn’t only for children.
Creek Week also included a workshop with Hoosier Riverwatch, a volunteer stream monitoring program. Volunteers learned to be a steward for local waterways and earned certification for water quality monitoring through an informational session and hands-on field work.
Hoosier Riverwatch is a program of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Office of Water Quality, Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch. Since 1996, Hoosier Riverwatch has educated volunteers to monitor stream water quality and increased public awareness of water quality issues
Hoosier Riverwatch hosts watershed education, water monitoring and clean-up activities, with the goals of educating citizens on watersheds and the relationship between land use and water quality; training citizens on the basic principles of water quality monitoring; promoting opportunities for involvement in water quality issues; providing water quality information to individuals or groups working to protect water resources; and supporting volunteer efforts by providing technical assistance, monitoring equipment, networking opportunities and educational materials.
Learn more at hoosierriverwatch.com.
