Public events, community action highlight Adirondack Water Week

Adirondack Water Week 2020 focuses on protecting the legacy of Adirondack waters and features public events and community action

Adirondack Water Week launches this year on Sunday, Aug. 23 through Friday, Aug. 28. The inaugural event showcases a newly formed partnership between Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) and Northwood School in Lake Placid.

Water Week is an opportunity to celebrate one of our most precious and valued resources in the Adirondacks and across the globe. This event is designed for the general public to learn about our freshwater resources and discover ways to take action to protect our lakes and streams.

Featuring a speaker series and community training program, Water Week will be conducted virtually and feature some of the region’s most experienced scientists and conservation practitioners.

“We rely on our Adirondack waterways for drinking, recreation, tourism and basic ecosystem functions,” said Dan Kelting, executive director of the AWI. “Water Week is a chance for us to recognize the importance of freshwater and provide the public with an opportunity to learn how they can protect their own watersheds.”

Paul Smith’s College and Northwood School have paired up to offer this event in recognition of our responsibilities as two historically significant academic institutions to engage and educate the public on environmental concerns and actions.

Topics featured during Water Week include the history of water in the region, water pollution prevention, climate change impacts, and community actions to protect clean water. The public is also encouraged to take part in an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Training Certification course where they can learn about spread prevention and engage in discussion with experts and other interested community members. The programs will be conducted online using Zoom and will include a live question and answer session. Registration is required.

The speaker schedule is:

• Aug. 23: “History of Adirondack Waters”, Daniel L Kelting, Ph.D., Executive Director, Adirondack Watershed Institute, Paul Smith’s College
• Aug. 24: “Climate Change and Adirondack Waters”, Curt Stager, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Paul Smith’s College
• Aug. 25: “Aquatic Invasive Species”, Meg Modley, M.A., Aquatic Invasive Species Management Coordinator, Lake Champlain Basin Program
• Aug. 26: “Microplastic Pollution in Lake Champlain”, Danielle Garneau, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh
• Aug. 27: “Road Salt Pollution in the Mirror Lake Watershed”, Brendan Wiltse, Ph.D., Water Quality Director and Assistant Professor, Adirondack Watershed Institute, Paul Smith’s College
• Aug. 28: “Community Action to Protect Clean Water”, Zoë Smith, Deputy Director, Adirondack Watershed Institute, Paul Smith’s College, featuring guest speakers from Adk Action, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, and Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Access to the training materials for the certification course is open now. The course concludes on Wednesday, Sept. 3, with a webinar/question and answer session with AWI scientists.

All events are free and open to anyone interested in learning about protecting clean water. More information including how to register: https://www.adkwatershed.org/.

About the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute
The mission of the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute is to protect clean water, conserve habitat and support the health and well-being of the people in the Adirondacks through science, collaboration, and real world experiences for students. Learn more at adkwatershed.org.

About Paul Smith’s College
At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. We are the only four-year institution offering broad-based higher education in the Adirondacks. Our programs – in fields such as natural sciences, sustainability, forestry, business, hospitality, recreation, and culinary arts – draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. For more information, visit paulsmiths.edu.