Water in Our World

Today wasn’t our typical adventurous River Stewards mini-course. This particular Friday afternoon, my peers and I sat down together and watched a documentary about global water issues. This was a great experience to get a chance to relax and learn a little bit more about the history of people and their water.

The film, called “Blue Gold”, informed us on the necessity of having access to clean drinking water. It touched on an organization called “Ryan’s Well”.  “Ryan’s Well” is a charity organization that helps provide clean drinking water to those who don’t have access to it, especially focusing on the communities suffering from this problem in developing countries.

“Those who have the ability to pay for water will have water, those who don’t, won’t. Therefore, it is a life or death situation.” - Blue Gold

Sarah B. - 2017 Cohort

12 Days of River Stewards

On the twelfth day of Christmas, River Stewards gave to me:

12 kayakers kayaking,

Eleven flyers floating,

Ten years of paddling,

Nine stews a touring,

Eight months of mini-course,

Seven stewards downtown,

Six stews a climbing,

Five Dayton dry dams,

Four stewards volunteering,

Three steward cohorts,

Two days of MOX

And one amazing semester!


Abbi Kuhn - 2017 Cohort

Learning to Live with the Earth

October 24-26, 2014

This weekend I went on an ETHOS club breakout to Blue Rock Station in Philo, Ohio. There were a total of eight UD students that went along on the trip with there being two River Stewards present, myself and senior Hailey Kwon. 

The trip was a great experience, and the focus was on renewable solar energy. The place we went to was called an “Earth Ship,” and was the first of its kind in Ohio. The house is built with dirt packed tires serving as the exterior foundation which act as great insulation. The roof has the purpose of collecting the water for the house, because it is slanted to direct all the water into two large cisterns on either side. The entire house was built on the concept of almost complete sustainability and it certainly was one of the most interesting places I have visited. There are many other aspects that were equally impressive like the multiple compostable toilets and straw bale housing. Our hosts Jay and Annie Warmke were very great and warmly welcomed us into their home. They told us all about the house and how their journey through life took them up to this point. We got a glimpse into the type of life that is entirely in harmony with the Earth. 

Even beyond their choice of home, their lifestyle was very simple and green. They are vegetarians, and rely entirely on produce that is grown locally and sold at a farmer’s market. They raise their own chickens, llamas, and goats for their other dietary needs. The way they live is very admirable and what makes it even better is the fact that they extend their home to others. They give tours every Saturday morning, often have weekend classes, and regularly take in interns for long periods of time.

When we visited we got to experience the daily aspects of their lives, and learn new things about sustainability. The whole way of life is something that everyone should at try least once, even eating just vegetarian for a short period of time, which, surprisingly, isn't a terrible lifestyle.

The whole point of the visit was to learn about solar energy and how to implement it in different aspects. Their house is hooked up to a large solar array that provides a larger percentage of their energy use.

Jay was the one who installed this solar system, and is certified to teach others how to do the same for their homes. He taught us over the weekend about the different variables and factors that go into solar panels and their use. We then got a chance to make our own solar electricity generators by using what we had learned from Jay. We broke up into two teams and each created our own generators, and by the end of the weekend we had created two generators that worked entirely off of the power of the sun. 

It was a very interesting weekend in which we all learned a lot and made new friends. I would recommend a trip like this to anyone who wants to learn about sustainable living and has a passion for renewable energy.

George - 2017 Cohort

Sunwatch Service and Exploration

Our cohort visited the Sunwatch Indian Village earlier this year to expand our understanding of the land on which we live. Sunwatch is a reconstructed Native American village from the Fort Ancient Period. While there, we learned that though prehistoric items were discovered on the site in the 1960s, a full excavation of the site was not begun until the '70s. The city had designated the area for a sewage treatment plant and needed to salvage it prior to construction. After discovering several ancient artifacts, the city instead decided to preserve the site. Excavations were considered completed in the late 80s, and now the site is now enjoyed by the public as a celebration of our country's rich Native American history. It is called "Sunwatch" because of the purpose of the central pole as an astronomical event indicator. 

While there, we were given the chance to not only learn all about its history, but also tour the reconstructed huts. It was so interesting to be able to put ourselves in the shoes of the people who lived there hundreds of years ago. 

While we were able to gain a lot of knowledge about the site, we were also able to help out, moving picnic tables to prepare for the fall school field trip season. In this way, we felt that we were able to help the community while the community, in turn, helped us. 
It was a great learning experience, and I would recommend anyone living in the Greater Miami Valley should try to make time to visit Sunwatch in their spare time!

Katy - 2017 Cohort

Gems of the Grand Canyon

This September I went to the Grand Canyon out in Arizona for a hike with my family. We flew out from all around the country and immediately were awestruck at the sight of what the river had carved out over the last few millennia. We spent the first night sitting atop the gorge preparing ourselves for the 13 mile hike down switchback after switch back.

Amidst the people taking pictures along the edge, I heard language after language being spoken. Within ten minutes I’d heard Chinese, Korean, French, German, English, Arabic, and a few others that I couldn’t recognize. People were drawn to the landmark and ultimately the water that carved it.

After walking for most of the day, we finally came to the source that exposed all these beautiful layers of earth. The Colorado River in all its glory, murky from the deposits it was carrying downstream, still carving out more.

I’d like to say I was captured by the expansiveness and sheer size of the Grand Canyon but I hope that’s not all I remember about it when I grow old. My favorite part, and the part that I hope people get the chance to truly experience, is the small paradise down there. Amidst the arid climate, cliffs, and tourists, are these thriving little pockets that house all sorts of life. These hidden gems between the rocks that take hours of walking to get to, but once found, you never want to give up. I leave you with a picture of my uncle taken as we left one of these gems and the hope that you’ll take a small bit of time to find a gem by you.

Take a new route to work, walk those extra fifteen minutes, and experience everything you can.

Sebastian Kessler

2016 Cohort

New York Climate March

This Septemeber I went to New York City for the NY Climate Change March. A small group of us from UD drove up for the day to take part in this huge and important event. It was an unbelievabel experince being able to walk along side 400 thousand other like-minded people through the streets of the city. It was impressive to see such a large number of people collected in one place, voicing their desire for change.

There were so many people, each representing different issues—from bee diversity and GMOs to fracking and fossil fuels. It became obvious that climate change is no small issue. All things are interrelated and thousands of separate issues contribute to the larger problem. The climate march brought people together to collaborate and discuss different issues and solutions, sending a message to those in power that they care about the future of our planet.

It was also nice to see the large variety of people and ages that came out to the the march. There were children, college students, families, business owners, and politicians all marching side by side. Climate change, sustainability, and the condition of our planet affects everyone worldwide. It was important therefore that all types were present. Of all the people there I appreciated the number of college age students that made the trip. There were groups from many different colleges across the nation. As a college student I see all too often our generation being complacent or uninterested in the problems around us. Often students think that they don’t need to get involved because there are other people out there that will do it instead. There will be others solving the problems, others to get involved, and others to voice opinions. But the only way we were able to see such a large turnout at the march was by that many people finding the need to show that they care. Things only change when people make an effort and ask for it. 

Léa Dolimier, 2016 Cohort

The Roaming Classroom

During my time as a River Steward, I feel like I have spent most of it with the River Mobile. It has become my job (literally). Rain or shine (mostly rain) I am outside setting up the River Mobile at many different events or schools. Though this may seem like just a job about manual labor, it is actually much more than that to me.

Through setting up and tearing down the River Mobile at our last school in Greenville, I was able to sit in and hear our Graduate Assistant, Andrew, give a tour of the River Mobile to the teachers at the school. It was during his explanation of the River Mobile that I understood how much of an impact this semi-truck has on students. The River Mobile is an incredible teaching tool and it allows kids (and even adults!) to understand our Rivers and watersheds. Through the interactive technology inside and the useful Maps outside, kids are able to learn outside of their typical classrooms in a fun way. I realized on this trip, how much teachers enjoy the River Mobile. When we were leaving, a teacher at the school could not thank us enough for setting up the River Mobile all the way in Greenville. Seeing the excitement on her face about her students learning from our River Mobile really put my job in a whole new perspective.

            

It isn't just about adding staircases, maps, and railings for me. My job is helping to enable students to learn and grow from this traveling “classroom”. This traveling classroom has become one of my favorite parts of River Stewards, and I encourage everyone, regardless of age to experience a tour at least once. You’d be surprised at how much you learn!

Rainy River Love,

Alicia 

2016 Cohort

Rollin' on River

Just a lil river song comin' atcha from Dennis Wilson. Keepin' it real. Keepin' it chill. Rollin' on, rollin' on. 

Happy Wednesday, folks! 

Water Treatment Plant

On a bleak and rainy Halloween the 2017 Cohort kept up their usual pep as they toured Dayton’s Water Treatment Plant.

I would just like to give a quick overview of where the city of Dayton’s water comes from and how it is treated at the plant. Water comes into the facility from various well fields, including the Mad River well fields. These well fields pump water into one of two water treatment stations, the Ottawa plant or the Miami plant. While each plant has a capacity of 96 million gallons a day, each only operates at around 20-25 million gallons. In this way, if something were to happen to one of the plants, the other could sufficiently take on all of the city of Dayton’s water needs. The water is first treated with lime, and the Miami plant is special because it has a lime recalcification process to reclaim used lime. The plant is also able to take used lime from other facilities and make it usable again, selling it back to other municipalities. The water is then treated with chlorine gas that is brought in by trucks. In this last sequence the water is also treated with fluorine and sand filtration/

On our tour we first saw the control room, which has various computer monitors to supervise the exterior and interior of the plant. These screens also displayed information from well fields throughout the Dayton area and information about the rate of water flow in various parts of the plant. I thought it was very interesting to see the Miami plant was taking in 17 million gallons of water, but only pumping out 11 million gallons at the time of our tour. The treated water needs time to mix with the chemicals, accounting for this difference. We then saw the lab, which to my surprise, looked exactly like a chemistry lab at UD. From there, we saw holding tanks that let settlement filter down, and giant tanks that hold treated water. The water is stored under pressure, so if there were a leak, water would spew out instead of letting contaminates seep in. We got to see the old pumps which are no longer used, but could be used in an emergency. We concluded our tour at the giant mosaic, coming full circle and following the water’s path through the facility.

The mosaic represents the path of drinking water from the buried aquifer to the water treatment plants to the homes of Dayton.

It was a Happy Halloween for the Baby Stews, as they trickled their way through the Water Treatment Facility.

Brandi Gerschutz

2017 Cohort 

MOX 2014

During the weekend of October 3^rd , Dayton's very own Five River MetroParks hosted one of the largest outdoor gear and experience festivals in the region. The Midwest Outdoor Experience is a two day one stop event for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers alike. MOX creates an event where outdoor related companies such as REI, Field & Stream, and even Subaru come out to showcase new gear and encourage outdoor engagement. These great companies are further complimented by the mecca of fantastic food vendors, the great hub of bands, and all the hands on activities that are offered by sponsors and Fiver River Metro Parks.

I found myself starting off this event on Friday evening at the Rivermobile. During this evening, fellow River Stewards and myself were able to engage locals and educate them about the wonderful water resources this area has to offer. Perhaps even more interesting were the conversations held with out-of-towners. They equipped themselves, by learning about Dayton’s watershed, with questions and ideas to bring back to their own home areas. Soon night came, and I left to go rest for the next day.

Waking up Saturday was quite a shock. The wind was blowing, the clouds were filling the sky, and the thermometer was at a whopping 42 degrees Fahrenheit. My mindset was discouraged due to the weather; especially since I was suppose to be volunteering in a Kayak for the better part of the day. Needless to say that changed as soon as I got out on the water. Being able to paddle with fellow enthusiasts and introduce newcomers to the activity was 100% worth the cold. Sharing stories and giving advice on how to paddle seemed to push away the bite of the wind, and usher in the warmth of new friendships.

That evening when I reflected on the previous two days, good memories and the faces of new friends filled my mind. It was truly a joy to share a weekend with the outdoor community both as a River Steward and a fellow outdoors enthusiast. Despite the temperamental weather, this community was able to make the most of the situation, enjoying great food, legendary music, and experiencing all adventure activities that MOX had to offer.

Until next year,

Wallace James Huggett

Cohort of 2017

We Give a Dam

On Monday October 20^th, the Rivers Institute helped put on a screening of the documentary “Dam Nation” as part of UD's Sustainability Week. Dam Nation explores the change in our national attitude concerning dams. At first there was national pride in big dams, which were seen as engineering wonders. Recently, however, there is the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers.

           

          Personally, Dam Nation made me very aware of just what dams are doing to our environment. I never realized that dams could even really be a “bad” thing. Dams all over America and all over the world have flooded out countless areas that may have been homes to people and animals. Dams disrupt the natural ecosystem of rivers, which negatively impacts most of the fish species living in the rivers. Migratory fish like salmon are extremely impacted because each season they attempt to swim back up stream to reproduce. Dams have kept salmon from doing this and therefore salmon populations are decreasing dramatically. This also means that salmon cannot be fished, which economically hurts the communities that may have depended on fishing for income.

          However, if “Dam Nation” did teach me one thing, it’s that there’s hope! Dam removal is flourishing all over the country as cities are starting to realize what little benefits dams bring to their communities. After the dams are being removed, scientists are finding that the natural environment is restoring itself rather quickly and native species are returning.

          So what does this mean for Dayton? We are a city prided for our amazing dams designed by the famous Arthur Morgan. Luckily, there were 3 informative panelists at the screening to explain the dam system of Dayton! None of our dams are used for hydroelectricity and all of our dams are free flowing, which allow fish to travel through without any trouble. The panelists also informed us that Dayton is following the trend of the rest of America as we are looking to remove many of our low-dams, which may be doing more harm than good. Our dam systems are used strictly for flood prevention and therefore do not flood out our environments. Citizens of Dayton can rest assured that we will not wake up to any graffiti on our dams from the stars of “Dam Nation.”

Charlotte Shade - 2017 Cohort

River Clean Up

On Sunday, October 19^th, a partnership was made between two University of Dayton programs. The Marianist Leadership Scholars and the River Stewards (Cohort of 2017) traveled to the Great Miami River to pick up trash along the banks. It was a perfect afternoon. The sun was up, the sky was blue, and Dayton students were caring for their river.

As a river campus, it is important to us to care for the environment. We are more than willing to do the little things to help improve it. The River Stewards’ mission is to preserve and protect Dayton’s water resources, as well as build community around Dayton’s rivers. The Marianist Leadership Scholars’ mission is to become more aware and active in the greater Dayton community. This project allowed both groups of students to lead through service. River Stewards educated the Marianist Leadership Scholars about the Dayton aquifer and the importance of the rivers in the Dayton community. The Marianist Leadership Scholars shared with the River Stewards their mission to use their education and faith to work for justice and to serve others. Both programs enjoyed working together to service the river and the surrounding environment.

After the conclusion of the project, the two programs went to 305 Kiefaber to enjoy refreshments and build new relationships. The two groups got to bond and each participant expanded their network of friends. Although these two programs seem to differ in many ways, both have a passion for community building. The project was a great success and members from each program were able to grow from the experience.

As a Marianist Leadership Scholar and River Steward, I was incredibly happy to see both programs work together to accomplish a common goal. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw two strangers, from separate programs, become friends after one day. To me, this project built friendships and emphasized the importance of caring for our water resources.

Alvin Boyd Newman-Caro

Cohort of 2017

The 2015 Cohort is Nuttier Than You’d Think!

The 2015 Cohort is thinking a lot of nutty thoughts!  We have been learning about nuts, identifying nuts, collecting nuts, figuring out what nuts are the good nuts, and sorting nuts alongside our friends at Adventure Central.  Why? Well, it is not just because we are all nuts!  For our cohort project we are working with Adventure Central to help address an important issue, and that is improving tree canopy.  So, let’s delve into the what, why, and how.

What have we been up to?

Earlier this semester the 2015 cohort began working with the “Purple Group” at Adventure Central.  After a group of our cohort learned alongside the Purple Group about different native nuts and seeds of Ohio we went on a field trip with Adventure Central to help Five Rivers MetroPark collect nuts to help with their goal of improving tree canopy.

Field Trip with Adventure Central

Look at All Those Nuts!

Now, about 2 to 3 times a week a group of our cohort works alongside the students at Adventure Central.  We did a nut collection of our own at Woodlands Cemetery.  Then, we float tested the acorns we collected to see what nuts were good and what nuts were bad (the good nuts sink while the bad nuts float).  Eventually, these nuts will be planted and grown in the basement of Adventure Central so that they can eventually be planted at Wesleyan MetroPark where Adventure Central is located.

Float Test at Adventure Central - Finding the Good Nuts and the Bad Nuts

Why are we doing this?

I promise we aren't just doing this because we are all nuts!  Not only are we forming a deeper relationship with Adventure Central, who is a great community partner, we are also learning about the ‘why’.  Improving tree canopy is so important for a community because trees provide so many benefits (like helping to prevent water pollution), and with tree issues like the ash borer it is important to tackle the issue of improving tree canopy head on.    

How are we going to finish this project?

We haven’t quite gotten to the point where we can finish the answer to this question, but we are on our way!  This Saturday (October 25^th) we are gathering several stewards to participate in “Make a Difference Day” at Adventure Central where we will help with seed collection and maintenance. This semester we are also planning on giving the Purple Group at Adventure Central a tour of UD’s campus and next semester we will lead a tour of Dayton by utilizing the Fitz Center Bus.  In the spring we will also be taking the Purple Group on two river paddles.  If we did not sound busy enough we have even more ideas in the works, and this is all on top of the nutty work we have already been working on!    

Living in the Limelight

I know myself to be a very reflective person, and as a senior I have had lots of time to reflect about my journey at UD.   I find myself always discovering, or entering, new roles.  What roles do I have?  Well, first and foremost I am a student.  This is a role that is essential for my existence at UD, but sometimes it is easy to forget!  I, obviously, also have a role as a River Steward.   Even though I have been a River Steward since my sophomore year I have had many different roles within the program.  In addition to my River Steward roles I also have a role that is new to this year, a role as a Resident Assistant (RA) on campus.  So, why am I rambling about the roles I have on campus?  Well, it is because even though my roles seem different they really are only different on the surface. 

As I see it, one of my River Steward roles is to act as a mentor/leader to younger Stews.  If I stop by a mini-course I should be just as attentive to what is going on, as the younger Stews are.  Right now, while I helping to complete the 2015 Cohort project, I am working with middle school and high school aged students and again, I am playing the role as a mentor/leader.  Now, when I break my River Steward roles down like this it is easy to see how my position as an RA for second year students also falls into this same mentor/leader role category. 

The relationship of my different roles on campus has an even tighter bond then the category that they exist in.  As a River Steward and as an RA I, in many ways, live in a limelight on campus.  The roles I play are very visible and transparent.  I cannot be a leader without being seen, and I cannot be a mentor without opening up about my own experiences.  I embrace this visibility because I think that being conscience of this helps to make me a better person and the way the visibility makes me behave is true to myself.  Sure, ‘living in the limelight’ has its disadvantages too, but I will take the sweat and pressure as long as I continue to see myself grow into new roles and responsibilities.  So, bring on the bright lights, I am here to stay!   

River Love,

Rachel

2015 Cohort

River Plunge

September 27^th was the first ever River Plunge. In partnership with Center for Social Concern, the River Stewards put on a paddle for UD students with a discussion focus on justice.

Cue perfect weather- mid 70s with yellow sunshine, blue skies, and fall leaves. 

Add a motley group of stews working like cogs in a machine, popping up throughout the day as River Mobile crew, lunch crew, boat crew, dinner crew, music crew. Mix in a great group of UD kids- different majors, different years, different interests. Put all these incredibly cool people outside, on the river, together. Let the magic happen. 

Celebrate Dayton's resources. Talk about the problems, too. Play outside. 

Leave the day feeling refreshed. Understand Dayton’s watershed a little differently. Understand how we’re all connected: people, animals, water, Earth. The environment is not only something we enjoy, but something that sustains us. Something we must appreciate, love, respect, and take care of.  

Exploring Our History at Carillon Park

Today, the 2016 and 2017 cohorts went on a field trip to Carillon Historical Park. The museum has an immense amount of Dayton history, ranging from replicas and original pieces of history to the various buildings themselves. In the Wright Bother’s Aviation Center, the walls are filled with nostalgic artifacts of Dayton’s most famous residents. They have two bikes Oliver and Wilbur built. Only three others exist in the world! They also have one of the original airplanes they flew. It is impressive to understand how much time and thought were put into every creation and how they inspired new entrepreneurs to innovate even to this day.

 

In addition to the various inventions Dayton is known for, the museum also discusses the Great Flood of 1913. Along with the interactive show that simulates the experience of the rain and floods, there is a hall dedicated to the disaster. The building contains firsthand accounts of the survivors and features a boat that the National Cash Register built to save the trapped citizens. It is amazing to learn how John Patterson stopped the manufacturing of his cash registers to build these boats.

 This is a true representation of understanding community assets; He had his workers operating for the city, not for him. I find this honorable and humble. This is another connection to the Rivers Institute. We, river stewards, find ways to strategize and benefit the city. Our goal is to use the water as an asset and work towards all citizens building positive relationships with our rivers. Our city’s relationship with its rivers sure has come a long way since 1913!

Kendal

2017 Cohort

Water Week at Adventure Central

What’s new with the River Steward Interns? Adventure Central summer camp!

Last week, our summer team spent four days at Adventure Central with 125 summer day campers and a stellar camp staff. River Stewards facilitated “Water Week” themed activities, led tours of the RiverMobile and enjoyed every second spent with the nature loving campers!

Stephen, 2016 Cohort, explains the benefits of being a responsible river neighbor. 

This was our fourth year working with Adventure Central, but the RiverMobile’s first time on site. Older campers toured the RiverMobile Tuesday and left with a set of water related vocabulary words (aquifer, watershed, downstream neighbor).  At the end of the day, many campers tested out their new river knowledge by leading RiverMobile tours for parents and siblings.

Casey, 2016 Cohort, explains how to make
an edible aquifer.

Campers paddling a welcoming Wolf Creek

On Wednesday and Thursday each group kayaked on the Wolf Creek, completed water quality testing, created river pledges and indulged in edible aquifers. The week’s events emphasized why the Wolf Creek is an asset for Adventure Central and our watershed.

Curious about the Wolf Creek's water quality? Ask an AC camper. 

        Campers completing a quiet reflection exercise
 before completing a personal river pledge. 

As usual, our week with Adventure Central was full of high fives, youth driven insight and river love. Temperatures pushed 90 degrees, but that didn’t stop anyone from playing outside and especially not from getting wet! The hot weather reminded all of us why we love and benefit from our clean, cool Dayton water.

  

           Allie Brizzi, a UD Semester of Service student,  poses with her hyped up campers!
Cheers to edible aquifers, summer camp silliness and the great outdoors. 

Visit Adventure Central’s website or Facebook page to learn more about why we love to partner with them! 

-Katelyn 

(2015 Cohort)