HOW WE STARTED

In 1998, WES began as a collaboration between three high schools in two different districts and the El Dorado National Forest. Every October since then, students from Golden Sierra, El Dorado, Oak Ridge, and Union Mine high schools have traveled to Union Valley Reservoir in the El Dorado National Forest for the Watershed Education Summit (WES) conference. Professional Foresters, Wildlife Biologists, State Water Quality Resource Specialists, Resource Conservation District personnel, and teachers work together with students for three days collecting physical and biological data about the creeks. This collaborative adventure, a service learning project, has been very successful. Many students that have participated are now going to college and majoring in science or environmental fields. Our local U.S. Forest and RCD agencies along with the State Water Resources Control Board receive valuable data that help them manage our watershed resources. MORE