Water Quality Improvement through Service-Learning
Year 1 Final Report
SECTION 319 NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL
PROGRAM ASSESSMENT/ FINAL REPORT
Kansas WaterLINK: Water Quality Improvement
through Service-Learning
By
William Hargrove, Primary Investigator
Christopher Lavergne, Project Coordinator
May 8, 2007
This project was conducted in cooperation with the State of Kansas and
the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7.
State Project # 2003-0033
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary …………………………………………………………………. 4
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… 5
Project Goals …………………………………………………………………………. 6
Collaboration …………………………………………………………………………. 7
Year 1 Project Summaries …………………………………………………………. 8
Project Evaluation ………………………………………………………………….. 21
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………... 22
Financial ……………………………………………………………………………... 23
Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………... 24
Appendices ………..………………………………………………………………... 25
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Kansas WaterLINK – Water Quality Improvement through Service-Learning
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The WaterLINK program engages Kansas colleges and universities in
partnership with local communities and groups to implement service-learning
projects to help restore and protect water quality in Kansas watersheds.
The objectives of the WaterLINK - Water Quality Improvement through ServiceLearning program include:
 identify community/watershed needs and link them to college/university
technical resources;
 develop partnerships in service-learning projects aimed at water-quality
improvement, based on needs and available resources;
 provide training and support for communities and college/university
partners in ways to effectively design and implement service-learning
projects in watersheds in need of restoration and protection;
 foster communication and information flow among potential participants
and provide public information about the opportunities and
accomplishments of service learning; and
 monitor and evaluate the service-learning process.
Service-learning projects address both the technical needs of communities
striving to improve water quality, and the practical education needs of university
students. Sixteen WaterLINK / Water Quality Improvement Through Service
Learning projects were implemented this year, including:
1. Soil conservation & Water Quality Workshop (Fall 2005-Fort Hays State
University)
2. Walnut River Water Festival/ Whitewater River watershed water quality
testing (Fall 2005-Butler County College)
3. Estimating the Storage Capacity of Lake Fort Scott using Bathymetry
(Spring 2006-Kansas State University)
4. Water Quality Education in Area Elementary Schools (Lower Big Blue
Watershed) (Spring 2006-Kansas State University)
5. Pollution Prevention Development (Spring 2006-Kansas State University)
6. Community Awareness (Spring 2006-Fort Hays State University)
7. Afterschool Elementary Water Education (Spring 2006-Fort Hays State
University)
8. Water Monitoring and Reporting Project (Spring 2006-Benedictine College)
9. Out of the Tap Environmental Project (Summer 2006-University of Kansas)
10. Bioretention Cell Addresses Stormwater Runoff (Fall 2006-University of
Saint Mary)
11. Worldwide Monitoring Day/Geocaching Project (Fall 2006-Fort Hays State
University)
12. Teaching the Next Generation of Water Consumers (Fall 2006-Fort Hays
State University)
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13. Is Septicity Responsible for Foaming in Manhattan's Wastewater Treatment
Plant? (Fall 2006-Kansas State University)
14. Assessment of Basin Restoration and Protection Efforts in Franklin County,
Kansas (Fall 2006-Ottawa University)
15. Stormwater Management Public Awareness Campaign (Fall 2006-Kansas
State University)
16. Kansas Pride Communications Campaign (Fall 2006-Kansas State
University)
The project also printed a promotional brochure, presented an invited poster and
presentations at conferences, and developed and launched a comprehensive
website (www.ksu.edu/waterlink - visit for more details on this program).
The WaterLINK - Water Quality Improvement through Service-Learning
Project is funded by the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Section 319.
INTRODUCTION
Through voluntary compliance approaches based on community stakeholder
leadership and participation, the state of Kansas is fostering watershed planning
and implementation of activities that will lead to restoration and protection of
water quality in our streams, lakes and rivers. These activities are often
constrained by lack of local capacity and resources. At the same time, there is a
need for young adults in colleges and universities to be engaged in local civic
activities and to have experiential learning opportunities. Our service-learning
project strategy is to address both the technical needs of communities and the
practical education needs of university students.
Our experience with local communities and groups in developing and
implementing Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies shows that
often local people are motivated to actions, but lack locally available technical
expertise, necessary to complete a plan or to implement a plan.
Technical support that is often needed at the local level includes: planning
assistance, GIS-based information, interpretation of water quality information,
and knowledge of appropriate actions. Even though local people might be highly
motivated to take action to restore or protect water quality, technical assistance is
needed to take action. Other projects we are implementing or have implemented,
demonstrate that local groups need easy access to such assistance to keep
making progress.
Service learning projects with faculty supervision provide this needed technical
assistance while providing students with experiential learning. The list of this
year’s projects is a good example of the variety of projects that fit this program,
from youth programs to wastewater projects to water monitoring.
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PROJECT GOALS
WaterLINK is funded by the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Section 319. The primary goal of
WaterLINK is to engage Kansas colleges and universities with local communities
as partners in water quality restoration and protection through service-learning,
with the ultimate goal of improving water quality in high-priority Kansas
watersheds.
WaterLINK’s project objectives include:
• identifying community/watershed needs and linking them to college/university
technical resources;
• developing partnerships in service-learning projects aimed at water-quality
improvement, based on needs and available resources;
• providing training and support for communities and college/university partners
in ways to effectively design and implement service-learning projects in
watersheds in need of restoration and protection;
• fostering communications and information flow among potential participants and
providing public information about the opportunities and accomplishments of
service learning; and
• monitoring and evaluating the service-learning process.
Faculty from Kansas colleges and universities can apply to the WaterLINK
project for minigrant funding to facilitate service-learning projects in Kansas
communities. The project must incorporate the four elements of service-learning
(i.e., preparation, experience, reflection, and assessment) and directly or
indirectly impact the water quality of a local watershed. Those projects that
directly impact a high-priority watershed are given preference for funding. A high
priority watershed is defined as a watershed above one of the twenty (20) federal
reservoirs in the state. Participation in the grant evaluation component by faculty,
community partners, and students is mandatory.
The project coordinator for WaterLINK is responsible for fostering
communication between communities and Kansas colleges/universities,
matching community service needs with college/university needs and resources,
organizing and supporting service learning and water quality training activities
and monitoring and evaluating WaterLINK projects.
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COLLABORATION
The effectiveness of Kansas WaterLINK is partially due to effective partnership
building and collaboration amongst institutions of higher learning, state agencies
and local watershed stakeholder groups. The major contributors to WaterLINK
efforts include:
Kansas Campus Compact
The WaterLINK project is a project within Kansas Campus Compact
(www.ksu.edu/kscc). Kansas Campus Compact (KsCC) is a membership
organization of Kansas Colleges and universities established to support the
development of campus-wide student and institutional participation in community
and public service. The sixteen current members of the Compact seek to
integrate service into faculty instruction and students' studies, making
community service activities a valued element of the college experience.
Members are committed to enhancing students' responsibility, citizenship and
awareness of the community while reinvigorating higher education's concern for
improving the quality of life in society. Further, members are committed to
strengthening the impact of that service on the welfare of Kansas communities
and the education of Kansas students in institutions of higher education.
Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE)
KCARE was established to coordinate and enhance research, extension, and
teaching activities pertaining to environmental issues related to agriculture. The
center’s mission is to develop and deliver knowledge that helps Kansans balance
'utilization' and 'protection' of natural resources today and into the future.
Kansas Department of Health & Environment Watershed Management
Section
The Watershed Management Section implements Section 319 of the Clean
Water Act, coordinating programs designed to eliminate or minimize pollution that
does not come from the end of a pipe. The section develops and reviews
strategies, management plans, local environmental protection plans, and county
environmental codes intended to control non-point source pollution.
Kansas State University Research and Extension (KSRE)
KSRE is dedicated to a safe, sustainable, competitive food and fiber system and
to strong, healthy communities, families and youth through integrated research,
analysis and education. The organization employs approximately 300 research
scientists, 180 faculty specialists and program leaders, 270 county and area
specialists, and 400 support staff in 23 departments from 5 different colleges.
Personnel are located at the main campus, in 105 county offices, 9 experiment
fields, 5 area offices, 3 research centers, and 3 research–extension centers.
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YEAR 1 PROJECT SUMMARIES
The WaterLINK project implemented sixteen service-learning projects in the first
year. These experiences have been "real world," practical and tempered by the
complexities of working to solve real problems in unique settings for real
populations. Students who experience service-learning in such courses and
environments are much better prepared to join work-force teams dealing with
environmental issues. Finally, there is a certain humility and broadened
perspective that comes from collaborative, interdisciplinary service learning. This
perspective makes students who have this experience some of the most valuable
of the next generation of leaders.
A comprehensive website was developed for the project
(www.ksu.edu/waterlink). The website offers project examples, service-learning
and watershed management resources, detailed watershed maps and county
watershed professional directory.
Summaries of WaterLINK service-learning projects implemented in year 1 are
provided in the following pages:
Project 1 (Fall 2005-Fort Hays State University) Soil conservation & Water
Quality Workshop
On October 18, 2005 students from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas
held "Make Every Water Drop Count," a soil conservation and water quality
workshop for local agricultural producers and other interested Fort Hays students
and faculty.
The intent of the workshop was to allow students to share knowledge gained in
their soils, soil & water management, beef feedlot technology & management,
and techniques & technology in Beef Cattle Production courses. Nineteen
students participated in the service-learning project. The workshop included
student presentations on nutrient management, various simulator demonstrations
and field demonstrations on measuring crop residue and terrace water holding
capacity.
The Waterlink sponsored project was overseen by Dr. Jean Gleichshner, Dr.
Brittany Howell, and Dr. Robert Stephenson. Community partners included the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Servi-Tech Laboratories, and
the Smoky Hill River-Kanopolis Lake Watershed.
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________________________________________________________________
Project 2 (Fall 2005-Butler County College) Walnut River Water Festival/
Whitewater River watershed water quality testing
William Langley, lead biology instructor, led honors-level students in water
monitoring activities within the Whitewater River watershed. The students tested
several streams to assess levels of water quality. A report was composed and
presented to Sandy Koontz, Butler County NPS Coordinator. Langley's students
also plan to present information at area meetings.
In addition to the water monitoring, Langley's students participated at the Walnut
River Water Festival held on October 18, 2005 at Butler Community College in El
Dorado, Kansas. More than 350 4th and 5th grade students, parents, and
teachers from Butler and Cowley counties attended the event. The festival
highlighted recycling, household hazardous waste, soil erosion, aquatic life,
watershed science, and other water quality issues relevant to the southeastern
Kansas counties.
Elementary students were able to discover and explore the exhibit hall with
teachers and parents. Examples of activities included a "Become a water tester"
booth, and a "Water Cycle Boogie" booth, which allowed students to make waterthemed bracelets and learn a fun water song. Water Jeopardy was a big hit with
the young students.
While the purpose of the event was to create awareness among the elementary
school students, Butler Community College participants also took home valuable
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knowledge of best management practices to ensure we have clean water for
fishing, drinking, and swimming.
________________________________________________________________
Project 3 (Spring 2006-Kansas State University) Estimating the Storage
Capacity of Lake Fort Scott using Bathymetry
This service-learning project addressed a community-identified need for the City
of Fort Scott, KS. Fort Scott utilizes Lake Fort Scott for about 50% of its public
water supply. As part of its Watershed Restoration and Management Strategies
(WRAPS) the City of Fort Scott has identified a need to estimate the lake’s
current storage capacity.
A group of five multi-disciplinary students enrolled in Alok Bhandari's Natural
Resources and Environmental Science Capstone course conducted a
bathymetric study on the lake. A bathymetric map gives the depth contours of the
soil, rock, sand, etc. at the bottom of a body of water such a lake. The students
utilized a Hydrotrak echo sounder (single beam), which was loaned from Odom
Hydrographic Systems Incorporated (OHSI) in Baton Rouge, LA. Their goal was
to estimate the storage capacity of the lake by comparing the original and current
lake-bed topographies.
Following project implementation and analysis, the students presented both a
written report and oral presentation to the Fort Scott city planner and Public
Works Department.
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Project 4 (Spring 2006-Kansas State University) Water Quality Education in
Area Elementary Schools (Lower Big Blue Watershed)
Dr. Steve Hill engaged eight groups of four students each in Kansas State's
AGCOM 712 (Environmental Communications) class in the planning and
execution of classroom teaching activities focused on water quality. The students
spent the first six weeks of class gaining theoretical and conceptual knowledge of
environmental communications planning and education. In conjunction with Dr.
Laura Downey of the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental
Education (KACEE), teams contacted teachers from elementary schools in the
Manhattan area and determined their classroom needs, then conducted weekly
sessions with the students over a period of four weeks.
Using exercises from Project WET and WET in the City and training received
from Dr. Downey, teams conducted in-class, hands-on activities (i.e., Sum of the
Parts, Common Water, Just Passing Through, Water Olympics, and Sparkling
Water). Teams began as early as March 9 and concluded their four-session
programs as late as April 27. School sessions were conducted on Thursdays,
when teams had approximately four hours of class and lab time scheduled.
There were 32 Kansas State University students involved. In addition, 148
elementary students in eight classes participated in classroom activities.
Among the most promising results of the project appear in AGCOM 712 students'
final reflective essay and portfolio. Qualitative analysis of student portfolios, with
the assistance of NUD*IST software, shows that students believed at least 13
different professional skills were frequently used and developed during the
project. Most frequently mentioned were teamwork and cooperation;
organization, planning and time management; and communication skills. Sixteen
different leadership characteristics were discussed, and students considered
respect for colleagues and students, responsibility and dependability, creativity,
and fairness to be among the skills most used and developed. Students indicated
a strong feeling of having developed professionally and frequently indicated a
strong sense of satisfaction. Several students even indicated the possibility of
a career change and an interest in teaching children, and many indicated a
greater comfort level with working with that target audience.
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Project 5 (Spring 2006-Kansas State University) Pollution Prevention
Development
This service-learning project, coordinated by Dr. Alok Bhandari, focused on
conducting a study to the pollution's impact on storm water sewers in the City of
Manhattan. A small group of students researched regulations; developed a plan
for the prevention of illicit discharges into Manhattan’s storm water system;
formulated a list of potential contaminants, actions required, and environmental
impact of contaminants; formulated spill prevention and spill clean-up
procedures; developed an estimate of the number of personnel required and
equipment needed for spill response; prepared and submitted written project
reports to class instructors and officials of the City of Manhattan; and prepared
and gave technical presentations to the class and officials of the City of
Manhattan Stormwater Program.
________________________________________________________________
Project 6 (Spring 2006-Fort Hays State University) Community Awareness
Dr. Robert Stephenson developed a service-learning project involving students
from his Agronomic Crop Production course. His students hosted a booth at the
annual Home and Garden Show (in the Hays Mall) about how different land uses
affect water quality.
Booth visitors filled out a pre-test, then students shared non-point source
pollution information and children participated in the Enviroscape activity while
the parents were learning best practices to reduce NPS pollution in their
community. Use of the Enviroscape – Watershed/Nonpoint Source Pollution
model was donated by the Ellis County Farm Bureau and the KSU Smoky Hill
River Watershed specialist. The Enviroscape has been widely used as an
educational tool for youth and adults alike.
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Project 7 (Spring 2006-Fort Hays State University) Afterschool Elementary
Water Education
During Spring 2006, Dr. Jean Gleichsner is coordinating a service-learning
project involving undergraduate agricultural students working in teams of two or
three. Each team will visit an after-school program at one of the elementary
schools in Ellis County (Hays & Victoria) to make a presentation about how
different land uses affect water quality. One of the topics in Gleichsner's course,
AGRI 626 Soil Fertility, focuses on water quality and fertilizers (organic and
inorganic). Specifically, this part of the course focuses on point and non-point
pollution sources and ways to reduce these problems. The knowledge learned in
the course about point and nonpoint pollution will provide a sound basis for the
development of the presentations.
Gleichsner's soil science students teach and learn from interaction with fourth
grade after-school participants. To reflect on the project, Gleichsner's students
will keep a journal documenting what they did, what they learned about water
quality and pollution during the project and how this relates to information learned
in class. The students will also share their experience with others in the class at
the conclusion of the project.
________________________________________________________________
Project 8 (Spring 2006-Benedictine College) Water Monitoring and
Reporting Project
Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. was funded to conduct water assessment
project. There were 43 students in General Biology II, Bi 122. Seven additional
upper-division research students were directly involved in this project. The overall
goal of this WaterLINK project was to provide useful, credible scientific
information about water quality to the stakeholders. The students were divided
into six working groups. They reported in person and with a written executive
summary to the Atchison City Commissioner; Bellevue Golf and Country Club;
City of Overland Park Public Works Department; Missouri RI Basin Natural
Resources; Benedictine Bottoms Kansas Wildlife and Parks; HDR Inc.; Kansas
Corps of Engineers; and the Missouri River Basin Advisory Committee.
Water samples were taken along the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa,
Atchison, Kansas, and Washington, Missouri. Samples were also taken at three
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sites in Overland Park, Kansas. Samples were taken on four different days in
three playa lake type ponds on the Benedictine Bottoms. Samples were taken
over a week-long period from two ponds on the golf course of Bellevue Country
Club.
________________________________________________________________
Project 9 (Summer 2006-University of Kansas) Out of the Tap
Environmental Project
During the summer of 2006, Rick Musser, professor of news and mass
communications, developed a limited enrollment, specialized course that aimed
to create awareness of water issues in the Wakarusa watershed. The watershed
feeds Clinton Reservoir, a major source of water, flood control and recreation for
the city of Lawrence and surrounding communities.
A class of seven KU journalism students spent the summer working on the indepth, multimedia reporting project, partnering with the Lawrence Journal World
and 6News to accomplish this innovative WaterLINK project.
The students' efforts resulted in a two-day series which ran in the Lawrence
Journal World during Labor Day weekend. Below you'll find the published project
articles.
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Bottle or Tap? Depends on the Taste
Farmer’s friend also enemy to Clinton Lake
Herbicide can get into drinking water
Sediment growing problem at Clinton
Expect busy summer when state cuts park fee
Limiting growth leaves some dry
Flood of ’51 gives rise to engineering project
Need for dam still subject of debate
Out of the Tap Photo Gallery
As a reflection component to the service-learning project, Musser's students were
interviewed in taped "confessionals" throughout the summer semester.
________________________________________________________________
Project 10 (Fall 2006-University of Saint Mary) Bioretention Cell Addresses
Stormwater Runoff
This project addressed urban stormwater issues on the campus of the
University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Municipalities are
increasingly searching for answers to flooding and non-point source
pollution issues. A bioretention cell is a shallow basin planted with native
grasses, trees, and shrubs. The cells collect storm water and let it soak into
the ground over a period of time, allowing some to be used by the plants.
The pollutants in the water are removed through plant and soil processes.
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The Kansas City metropolitan area has recently launched an initiative to
plant 10,000 bioretention cells or rain gardens to mitigate storm water’s
negative impact on surface water.
Ken Mulliken, human geography and Melanie Harvey, chemistry professor,
engaged their students in the design, implementation and monitoring of two
bioretention cells on campus.
Bioretention cells are a best management practice developed to manage
stormwater runoff in urban settings. The cells utilize soils and native herbaceous
plants to remove pollutants from the first inch of runoff during storm events. The
cells increase infiltration and remove harmful contaminants before they reach
storm drains. Saint Mary's cell infiltrates approximately 1.2 acres of runoff from
multiple parking lots and several roofs.
Collaboration was key in making this project a success. The University partnered
with the Leavenworth County Conservation District, City of Leavenworth Water
Pollution Control, the Kansas Environmental Leadership Program (KELP), and
Leavenworth Recycling Center.
________________________________________________________________
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Project 11 (Fall 2006-Fort Hays State University) Worldwide Monitoring
Day/Geocaching Project
Dr. Jean Gleichsner recently led her soils course in two service-learning projects.
The first encouraged students to take an active role in assessing water quality
and identifying potential pollution sources in the Big Creek-Middle Smoky Hill
Watershed and researching best management practices to keep surface and
ground water clean. Gleichsner's students also participated in a Worldwide Water
Monitoring Day and presented results to faculty, students and community
members during a Times Talk forum event.
The course's second service-learning project students led elementary schools in
geocaching activities using global positioning units. The soils students set up
caches on the Fort Hays State University campus and shared the locations of
these caches with participants in the hunt. GPS users used the location
coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache (plastic container) provided
information on how to collect a water sample, how to conduct water tests (pH,
hardness, phosphorus and nitrate), what the tests meant and information about
how to prevent contamination from pollutants.
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Project 12 (Fall 2006-Fort Hays State University) Teaching the Next
Generation of Water Consumers
Dr. Paul Adams led a group of pre-service elementary school teachers in the
development of comprehensive water quality lesson plans for elementary school
students. The project consisted of three elements: a) a workshop for pre-service
elementary teachers to make them aware of the watershed issues and resources
for teaching 1st through 5th graders about water; b) a five-week after school
science program on water conservation, preservation, and restoration, developed
and led by the pre-service teachers enrolled in an internship course; and c)
presentation by a subset of the pre-service teachers at the National Science
Teachers meeting held in Omaha, Nebraska.
According to pre-service teachers’ results, from pre/post testing of the
elementary students at the after school program, the overall success rate of
teaching their objectives to the elementary students was 85%. Two of the four
groups felt all objectives were adequately mastered. All groups agreed the
hands-on activities were the most successful due to the various ages of the
participants.
The pre-service teachers were graded based on their ability to meet specific
criteria as rated by the instructor of the internship course where this project was
completed. The criteria included having clear, complete and organized materials;
documentation written with correct grammar and spelling; ability to demonstrate
achievement of competency; ability to complete by assigned date; reflections
demonstrating sound content; student initiated activities and discussions thus
playing an active role in the classroom; and maintaining a high level of
confidentiality and professionalism.
________________________________________________________________
Project 13 (Fall 2006-Kansas State University) Is Septicity Responsible for
Foaming in Manhattan's Wastewater Treatment Plant?
During the fall 2006 semester, a group of engineering graduate students tackled
a problem for the City of Manhattan Department of Public Works. The city's
wastewater treatment plant experiences intermittent problems with the growth of
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filamentous bacteria in its aeration tanks. These bacteria create foaming in the
tanks, which prevents biosolids from settling in the clarifiers. The presence of
hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in wastewater and sludge is defined as a septic
condition. Septicity is a result of anaerobic bacterial activity in absence of oxygen
or nitrate. Since the treated municipal wastewater is discharged into the Kansas
River, these occurrences can potentially prevent the city from meeting effluent
standards for biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids
(TSS).
Dr. Alok Bhandari's student team conducted chemical characterizations at key
locations in Manhattan's sewage collection system. A project management plan
was developed by the team with consultation from the department of public
works. Through this experience, the students gained a scientific understanding of
how the characteristics of raw wastewater impact the efficacy of wastewater
treatment, and therefore, the quality of effluent discharged into surface waters.
They also benefited from the teambuilding, networking and opportunity to
develop innovative solutions for a real world issue.
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Project 14 (Fall 2006-Ottawa University) Assessment of Basin Restoration
and Protection Efforts in Franklin County, Kansas
Roughly ten years ago (June 1995-June 1997), the Franklin County
Conservation District worked with faculty and students from Neosho County
Community College to collect water quality data from nine sites in Franklin
County. For each of those nine sites, twelve water quality parameters were
assessed (to include: pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, phosphate,
nitrate, ammonia, total suspended solids, total coliform, and fecal coliform). Each
site was sampled 20 times over a period of two years.
Dr. Terry Malloy's environmental biology courses are replicating the monitoring
activity over the next seven semesters to assess whether implemented
watershed protection best management practices have made a difference. At the
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conclusion of the study, students will present their findings to representatives
from the Franklin County Conservation District and their partners.
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Project 15 (Fall 2006-Kansas State University) Stormwater Management
Public Awareness Campaign
In Nancy Muturi’s public relations course, a group of six students worked with the
City of Manhattan, Kansas to develop a comprehensive public relations
campaign. The campaign sought to increase the awareness and active interest of
the Manhattan public about stormwater runoff pollution and ways of preventing
further damage to local streams and rivers.
The students surveyed community stakeholders and developed public relations
materials (i.e., logo, flyers, posters, brochures, and public service
announcements) to create awareness in the city.
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Project 16 (Fall 2006-Kansas State University) Kansas Pride
Communications Campaign
A group of five students worked with Kansas Pride Healthy Ecosystems-Healthy
Communities to develop a public relations portfolio for the EPA 319-funded
project. The project has been implemented in three rural Kansas communities –
Greeley, Melvern and Rossville – and aims to help them to identify and assess
their local natural resources and plan and implement activities that contribute
toward ecosystem protection and enhancement.
Students surveyed community stakeholders to determine the most effective
method to create awareness of the project. Public relations materials were
developed and disseminated to the three rural communities.
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Water Quality Service-learning Fair
On October 12, 2005, WaterLINK hosted a water quality/service-learning fair at
the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS. More than thirty attended the event,
including KU faculty and students, state water professionals. The purposes of the
event were to explore new service-learning opportunities, learn about water
quality improvement, and build partnerships between colleges/universities and
community members. Service-learning and watershed experts presented
information about service-learning essentials and water-quality issues in the local
watersheds.
The event program is provided below.
KU Water Quality/Service-Learning Event ∙ October 12, 2005
2:00 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks, Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett,
Senior Vice Provost, University of Kansas
Why are we here? Bill Hargrove, Executive Director, KCARE
2:15 p.m. Service Learning Essentials, Mary Tolar, Executive Director, Kansas
Campus Compact
3:00 p.m. Break with Refreshments
3:15 p.m. Water Quality in Your Watershed, Paul Liechti, Assistant Director,
Kansas Biological Survey
4:00 p.m. Break-out Sessions Building Community/University Partnerships
4:45 p.m. Adjourn
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PROJECT EVALUATION
As part of the efforts to evaluate WaterLINK mini-grant service-learning projects
the Kansas State University Office of Educational Innovation and Evaluation
(OEIE) is contracted to conduct site visits and collect data from students, faculty,
and community partners. WaterLINK project participants were asked to complete
surveys via a web link to the K-State Online Survey System. Students who were
enrolled in courses that received funding from the WaterLINK mini-grants were
asked to complete pre- and post-test surveys. Faculty members and identified
community partners were asked to complete surveys after the service-learning
experience was complete. Survey instruments can be found in Appendix A.
Several positive quantitative and qualitative conclusions were shared both from
participating students and faculty in the OEIE evaluations. Several examples are
included below.
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“We incorporated the service-learning program into our ecology unit that we
began in our Biology course. It was an excellent way of putting into perspective
what we were learning about on paper into a real-life system.”
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“My career goal is to become either a Park Ranger of a Conservation Officer
(Game Warden). I think that being involved with this service learning has helped
me greatly. I was able to get out in the community and deal with people and teach
kids about how we need to be careful with our precious resources, especially
water.” “Within the scope of the project there was not a direct relationship with
my program of study. However, this provided an excellent opportunity to develop
professional and leadership skills and afforded an experience that will likely bare
resemblance to future job-related projects. The discovery process alone was a
valuable learning experience.”
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“I think all colleges should offer a program such as this. In many ways this is
what college should be about.”
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“I highly recommend it. The project really does give students who claim they
want to be scientists a sort of 'on the job training'. The students may find that
work such as this may or may not be exactly what he or she wants to do with their
careers.”
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“Both the community and the students benefited. They all learned a lot from the
project, it gave the students good experience interacting with the community and
making presentations, and the students were quite amazed how much the children
already knew about pollution and how little their parents knew.”
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CONCLUSIONS
In its first year, Kansas WaterLINK (Improving water quality through servicelearning) initiated sixteen watershed restoration/service-learning projects across
the state of Kansas.
From an educational standpoint, college students were provided the opportunity
to apply course-learning objectives and discipline concepts to community-based
issues. The communities benefited from the added capacity and expertise
provided by the students and faculty.
The project formed a management team consisting of the following individuals:
William Hargrove
Director
Don Snethen
Bureau Chief
Assistant
Director
Jan Middendorf
Laura Downey
Paul Liechti
Alison Reber
Mary Hale Tolar
Christie Brunghardt
Director
Assistant
Director
Director
Director
Assistant
Professor
Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and
the Environment (KCARE)
KDHE Watershed Bureau
KSU Office of Educational Innovation and
Evaluation (OEIE)
Kansas Association for Conservation &
Environmental Education (KACEE)
Kansas Biological Survey (KBS)
Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance (KVHA)
Kansas Campus Compact (KsCC)
Fort Hays State University (FHSU)
Christa Smith
Evaluator
KSU Office of Educational Innovation and
Evaluation (OEIE)
Christopher Lavergne
Project
Coordinator
Kansas WaterLINK
This team met once quarterly to discuss issues related to the project and review
competitive minigrant proposals.
The project coordinator presented professional papers promoting the water
quality improvement through service-learning project at several water
conferences across the state and nationally, including a US EPA conference in
Milwaukee, WI and a USDA-CSREES conference in Savannah, GA.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The WaterLINK staff and management team would like to recognize the following
partners for their contribution to Year 1 implementation of Water Quality
Improvement through Service-Learning.

Kansas Department of Health & Environment

Environmental Protection Agency Region 7

Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment

Kansas Campus Compact

Kansas State University Research and Extension

Kansas Conservation Commission

Kansas Water Office

Kansas Forest Service

Kansas Rural Water Association

Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance

Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education

Kansas Biological Survey

Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service

Servi-tech, Dodge City Kansas

City of Manhattan

City of Overland Park
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APPENDICES
Appendix A ………………………………………………………….. Work Products
Appendix B …...……………………………… WaterLINK Promotional Brochure
Appendix C …………………………………………………….. WaterLINK Website
Appendix D ………………….. EPA Conference Milwaukee, WI: Invited Poster
Appendix E …...................................................................... Survey Instruments
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