Madison Students Initiate Environmental Investigation Of Local Streams

From Fairfax County Public Schools: The Students for Environmental Action (SEA) Club at James Madison High School in Vienna has worked the past two years conducting watershed assessments and water quality analysis in streams from Harrisonburg to Culpepper. The work these scientists are doing is part of the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) initiative. The purpose of this work is to determine whether or not brook trout, Virginia’s state fish, can be reintroduced to establish a trout population in local streams. The SEA Club at Madison is exclusive in its work because it serves to scout release locations for the entire Northern Virginia TIC cadre. The Catharpin Creek Headwaters on Bull Run Mountain in Prince William County has been the focal point of these field efforts.

In June, the SEA club met with VA Governor Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward to brief them on this initiative, which directly correlates to the type of work the Governor was hoping to produce when he signed Executive Order 42- Establishing the Virginia Environmental Literacy Challenge. Not only has the SEA Club been conducting the field stream assessments, it has also been raising trout to introduce to the stream. In a large fish tank in a science classroom, the fish are raised from eggs to fingerlings. This scientific investigation is fostered and facilitated by two Science teachers at the school, Mr. Dick Gongaware and Mr. Kirk Smith.

In November, the VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries validated these efforts and approved the Bull Run location for a trout introduction, which is slated for Spring of 2017. If successful, Catharpin Creek will be the only sustainable native trout stream in the DC suburbs, which will be a hallmark accomplishment for TIC. Members of the SEA Club will be present for this introduction to the stream and will continue to monitor the introduction point for trout growth, movement and reproduction activity.

Image via James Madison High School