By Curry Rosato, watershed outreach coordinator for the City of Boulder/WASH Project
The Watershed Approach to Stream Health (WASH) Project is a regional stormwater quality management program serving the communities of Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Erie, Superior and Boulder County.
This innovative, award-winning program is a leader in addressing Colorado’s water quality issues through watershed management.
Project participants (partners) developed the WASH Plan in 2002, which outlines the goals and programs to address water quality protection in the Boulder and St. Vrain watersheds. The plan emphasizes cost-effectiveness by sharing programs, using common strategies and existing programs.
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| xxx | H2O Jo and Flo |
One example is contracting the City of Boulder to implement its existing Water Quality Education Program throughout the WASH program area. WASH education staff provides school and field-based education programs to an average of 5,000 K-12 Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley School District students each year. In addition, staff provides public participation and outreach programs via an outreach booth at community events, storm drain marking activities, a community speakers’ program and more.
The WASH Project is the recipient of two Nonpoint Source (NPS) outreach mini-grants. The two projects, an outreach booth and a video, expand use of H2O Jo and Flo and the Keep it Clean campaign for statewide NPS education and outreach.
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| Keep it Clean outreach booth Photo provided by Curry Rosato |
In 2004, WASH received $5,000 to develop the Keep it Clean outreach booth. Utilizing graphics and messages created for the Keep it Clean water quality campaign, the Keep It Clean outreach booth includes hands-on, portable, engaging activities that serve as tools for community members to learn about NPS pollution and recognize how their behaviors can affect water quality. WASH hosts the booth annually at one large-scale community event/festival in each WASH community.
The 2005 outreach mini-grant for $3,450 helped fund the development of the educational video “A Ride Through the Storm Drain: The Adventures of H2O Jo.” Matching funds for the $11,000 video project cost were contributed by WASH Partners and 19 additional Colorado communities. This project is an excellent example of how Colorado communities can work together to use and expand upon the Keep it Clean campaign to augment NPS education and outreach in their community.
The broadcast quality, seven-minute video, “A Ride Through the Storm Drain: The Adventures of H2O Jo,” features H2O Jo as the narrator. H2O Jo falls from the clouds and encounters urban pollution sources on his journey from the sky, down a street, to the storm drain and ultimately to a river. Through narration and powerful images, the video tells the NPS story and concludes with a call to action for Colorado residents.
Many communities throughout the state already use the video on their municipal cable station, Web site, at public outreach events and in school, library and business settings. The video broadens the scope of the 2004 Keep it Clean campaign by providing a multi-media opportunity for thousands of Colorado residents to see the video and learn what they can do to prevent NPS pollution.
To view the video, images of the Keep It Clean outreach booth and to learn more about H2O Jo and Flo and the Keep it Clean campaign, visit www.npscolorado.com.Do you have a
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