The New York State Watershed website is a vehicle for the entry and storage of water quality data collected by students from streams near their schools. Students are introduced to the geographic concept of a watershed and learn how to use the equipment and perform techniques to measure streamflow, water chemistry parameters and the biota living in their streams.

Students can use this database to examine student-collected data gathered over the last ten years throughout New York State. The data is easily imported into spreadsheet software (copy and paste) where it can be further manipulated. The data is also available to citizens concerned with water quality in the state.

Environmental agencies in Onondaga County currently use the student-collected data as part of an ongoing water-quality monitoring program. Feedback from students has helped alert regulators to water quality problems while teaching students that they have a valuable role in the stewardship of water resources. In such cases students are made aware of the strong tie between water quality and land use in their community.

We hope this site will grow to include more schools and more water bodies throughout the state, so that all of our watersheds are being monitored and can be kept safe. If you would like to be a part of the New York State Watershed Project and contribute data from streams in your area, contact The Living SchoolBook at Syracuse University at (315) 443-3450 or by email (help@d2.syr.edu).

Current partners include: Carthage/Lowville Consortia, Whitesboro Middle School, Snowbelt Consortia, Hudson Falls Consortia, Central New York Environment, Museum of Science and Technology (MOST), Onondaga County Health Department and Parks Department, The Living SchoolBook, Syracuse University's Soling Program, NHEEEP (Hudson Falls in Eastern New York), Central New York Project Watershed, After School Project H.E.L.P/Project S.A.F.E at Grant Middle School.