Smiles...hundreds of smiles were on faces of the participants at the Middle Rio Grande Children’s Water Festival for 4th grade students, held October 13 and 14 at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Smiling guides, wearing T-shirts with the big Water Festival logo on the front, strode across the Garden Foyer, each followed by a group of smiling 4th grade students, teachers and parents. The Water Wizard smiled and waved to them as they came by.
In each room, the activity presenters smiled and welcomed another group before proceeding to lead an activity session. In one, smiling students from Valley High School, several of whom were back for the 3rd year, were Masters of Ceremony for Water Jeopardy as two classes of 4th graders searched for the questions for water answers - like the TV show. In another, Middle School students from Albuquerque Academy helped the 4th graders put water to the test through a series of experiments to demonstrate that water is no ordinary liquid!
Students, led by Master Gardeners, discovered how roots, leaves and stems play the leading roles in helping New Mexico’s native plants conserve water in our beautiful but challenging environment, while folks from New Mexico Game and Fish Department provided microscopes and magnifying glasses so students could Meet Water Bugs from the icy waters of the Pecos River. Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Utility’s Water Conservation officer led The Long Haul to help students really appreciate how much water a gallon of water is as they haul enough to flush the toilet or brush their teeth. A bevy of folks from the Albuquerque BioPark’s Aquarium took students on a journey to a coral reef while other students traveled back in time with Professor Dripstop McWaterwise to learn that water has always been important to life!
Many other organizations presented hands on activities that helped students expand their water knowledge. For the complete program, check elsewhere on this website.
So, why does water education bring smiles to so many faces? We have pondered this question and suggest this answer - Everyone knows that water is essential to life. As one student explained, “Without water we’ll get dehydrated and go dead!”
We all know that we live in a desert and shouldn’t waste water. Deep down inside, each of us has this niggling feeling that we could use our limited water more wisely and fairly. We all believe that in the future, making sure that there is enough water for everyone, including the other living beings with whom we share this arid space, will be a major challenge.
So, we all come to the Water Festival and share what we know with each other - young and old. The sharing of knowledge makes us all smile - with a shared sense of optimism that by combining what we older folks know with the bright energy and hope of the younger folks, we will succeed in managing our water wisely together.
Perhaps another reason for all the smiles is that during the Festival, everyone began to realize that we all can play a part in conserving our precious water and protecting water quality. Each of us - young and old - can do the things that help, like taking shorter showers, fixing leaks, planting native plants, picking up after our pets, disposing of oil and other hazardous substances safely and, most important, telling our families and friends what we have learned about water together.
Many communities in New Mexico and West Texas held Water Festivals this year including Silver City, Socorro, Artesia, Carlsbad, Las Cruces, El Paso, Gallup, Santa Fe and Farmington.
If you’d like to find out more or learn how to plan a Water Festival for your community,
contact Susan Gorman, 505-259-7190, h2ofest@aol.com, www.pioneerwest.net.
Lead Donors
US Bureau of Reclamation
Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Water Utility Department
Bernalillo County, Office of Environmental Health
City of Rio Rancho Utilities Dept. / Water Conservation Office
Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
SMG Albuquerque Convention Center
Contributors
Arid Solutions Inc.
Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service
Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardeners
Business Water Task Force
CDM
City of Albuquerque, Pollution Prevention (P2) Program
Environmental Education Association of New Mexico
Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico
Intel Corporation
La Montanita Coop
Museum of Natural History and Science
New Mexico Environment Department, Surface Water Quality Bureau
New Mexico State Engineer / Water Conservation Office
Paradigm, Inc.
PNM
PNM Right of Way Department
Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association
Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association
Sandia National Laboratories
Science Applications International Corporation
The Rain Well
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, CWA, Section 319
US Forest Service Southwest Region
WaterBank
Fiscal Agent
New Mexico Water Conservation Alliance
Presenters
Albuquerque Academy Environment Club
Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Water Utility Department
Arid Solutions Inc.
Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardeners
Bernalillo County, Office of Environmental Health
Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program at UNM
Bosque School
City of Albuquerque, Open Space Division
City of Albuquerque, BioPark
City of Santa Fe, Water Division
Ciudad Soil & Water Conservation District
Middle Rio Grande Watershed Group
National Weather Service
New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts
New Mexico Environment Department, Surface Water Quality Bureau
New Mexico Game & Fish Department
Rio Grande Nature Center
Sandia National Laboratories / Geohydrology Department
Souder Miller & Associates
US Forest Service, Santa Fe National Forest
Valley High School Environmental Club
