{"id":2036,"date":"2016-07-27T16:39:50","date_gmt":"2016-07-27T20:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mde\/?p=2036"},"modified":"2016-08-02T12:09:31","modified_gmt":"2016-08-02T16:09:31","slug":"environment-secretary-grumbles-and-ecocamp-students-monitor-water-quality-in-pickering-creek-in-talbot-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mde\/2016\/07\/27\/environment-secretary-grumbles-and-ecocamp-students-monitor-water-quality-in-pickering-creek-in-talbot-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Environment Secretary Grumbles and EcoCamp students monitor water quality in Pickering Creek in Talbot County"},"content":{"rendered":"
MEDIA CONTACTS:<\/h5>\n

Jay Apperson<\/strong><\/p>\n

(410) 537-3003<\/a>
\njay.apperson@maryland.gov<\/a><\/p>\n

Adrienne Diaczok<\/strong><\/p>\n

(410) 537-3003<\/a>
\nadrienne.diaczok@maryland.gov<\/a><\/p>\n

Environment Secretary Grumbles and EcoCamp students monitor water quality in Pickering Creek in Talbot County<\/strong><\/p>\n

EASTON, MD (July 27, 2016<\/span><\/span>)<\/strong> – Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles visited with campers at Pickering Creek Audubon Center\u2019s EcoCamp in Easton today. The students learned about the importance of clean water and participated in a World Water Monitoring Challenge activity using water samples from nearby Pickering Creek. The creek is a tributary of the Wye River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay.<\/p>\n

Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles said, \u201cWater is life and clean water makes all the difference. Every Marylander, whether young or old, can help protect and restore our Chesapeake Bay waterways and watersheds by understanding and conserving the special places where we live, work, and play.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting kids outside and connected to birds and the Chesapeake Bay is what EcoCamp is all about; kids are exploring and learning about nature all while laughing and having fun,\u201d said Mark Scallion, Center Director of Pickering Creek Audubon Center. \u201cWe are thrilled that Secretary Grumbles could spend a portion of his day with us!\u201d<\/p>\n

Using water monitoring kits, Secretary Grumbles and the students gathered data on four important measures of water quality:\u00a0temperature, acidity (pH), clarity (turbidity) and dissolved oxygen. The results of the sampling conducted today\u00a0will be uploaded to the World Water Monitoring database<\/a> to compare findings with students around the globe.<\/p>\n

The World Water Monitoring Challenge is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies. You can help protect water quality by knowing and reducing the use of contaminants\u00a0and curbing pollution associated with nonpoint sources\u00a0such as:<\/p>\n