BWD Environmental Education Enrichment for Everyone K-12 & Up STEAM Education & Enrichment ENews "the SPLASH" 2021 Volume 1 URBAN WATER CYCLEOnline K-12 Science-Technology-Engineering-Art-Math (STEAM) activities, lessons, and supplements equip educators and enable student-led inquiry into the origin and properties of water, water on Earth, stream and watershed dynamics, how human activities affect water resources, drinking water treatment, and source water protection. THE URBAN WATER CYCLE in the Illinois River and Beaver Lake/White River Watersheds (a.k.a. Drainage Basins) INTER-BASIN TRANSFER Water does not naturally flow up and over hills or boundaries between watersheds. The "INTER-BASIN TRANSFER of WATER" occurs when humans use pumps to move water across boundaries out of one watershed and into another.SOURCE-> BEAVER LAKE, the primary drinking water source for Northwest Arkansas, is a "man-made" reservoir created by building BEAVER DAM across the White River in the 1960s. Since completion, the Lake has provided a constant supply of good quality water to meet the demands of a growing economy and population. Today, one-in-six Arkansans depends on Beaver Lake for water to drink and use in homes, public buildings, business, and industry. BEAVER LAKE: Northwest Arkansas' Ace-in-the-Hole DRINK/USE-> BEAVER WATER DISTRICT (BWD) is the first and largest of the FOUR DRINKING WATER PLANTS (DWP) in NW Arkansas. These water utilities clean water from Beaver Lake so it is safe for drinking and other uses. BWD supplies water to FOUR CUSTOMER CITIES Water Departments: BENTONVILLE, FAYETTEVILLE, ROGERS, SPRINGDALE. These Water Departments send water on to city residents and smaller surrounding towns. Most of the URBAN CORRIDOR served by BWD is in the ILLINOIS RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN or WATERSHED.BWD DRINKING WATER PLANT TOUR WASTE->SOURCEDuring or after use, water flows through pipes to WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS (WWTP). In the Beaver Lake Watershed, treated wastewater is released into Beaver Lake source streams, the White River and WAR EAGLE CREEK. A larger number of WWTPs are located in the Illinois River Watershed, so more treated wastewater is discharged to tributaries of the Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller, the drinking water source for many communities in Eastern Oklahoma BRIDGE TO WAR EAGLE by Larry Foley & Dale Carpenter SOURCE WATER PROTECTION (SWP) WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN PROTECTING BEAVER LAKE for current and future generations. As more water is required for continuing population growth and natural plant-covered areas are replaced by URBAN "Hard-Surface" rooftops and pavement, air, water, and land resources are negatively impacted. Ever more frequent flash floods carry larger volumes of eroded soil and polluted storm runoff into lakes, rivers, and groundwater. LEARN ALL YOU CAN TO LIVE WELL ON THE LAND AND PROTECT OUR DRINKING WATER SOURCES. ILLINOIS RIVER & BEAVER LAKE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PARTNERS BWD Education & Outreach Team Dot Neely Education CoordinatorGeology BS, MS; G6-12 Education & Environmental Dynamics-GIS SpecializationAmber Ebbrecht Assistant Education Coordinator Art Education BFA; Arkansas Department of Education Standard License: Art PreK-12 |