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Stormwater Summer Camp: Not Your Average Environmental Camp

Thanks to grant funding provided by NJ Future, the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group just wrapped up its third installment of Stormwater Summer Camp at McKeown Elementary School in Hampton Township. 5th through 7th graders participated in a week of hands-on learning focused around the effects of polluted runoff on Sussex County’s rivers and streams.

During the week, students participated in STEM labs/demonstrations, games, and off-campus field trips to learn about the effect that humans have on the watershed.

Some of the camp activities included:

• making handmade water filters out of common household items
• touring a wastewater treatment plant
• installing porous grass pavers in the school’s courtyard
• conducting maintenance on the school rain garden that was installed in 2016
• learning about the differences between pervious and impervious surfaces by studying the school's porous pavement construction site
• testing water samples to learn about the effects of stormwater runoff on rivers and drinking water (wells)
• working alongside the Greater Culver Lake Watershed Conservation Foundation to learn about how land use changes impact water quality
• teaching students from the neighboring Newton Township Middle School about the green infrastructure installed on the McKeown School campus

To plan a Stormwater Camp in your own region of NJ, please click here to view the WRWMG Stormwater Camp curriculum.