DRBC staff gave Trenton River Days attendees the opportunity to see first-hand what's in the Delaware River. Photo by the DRBC.

DRBC had a great time participating in the 4th Annual Trenton River Days Fair, held earlier this month at South Riverwalk Park, along the Delaware River in Trenton, N.J.

Exhibiting along with DRBC was SPLASH. SPLASH, which stands for Student Participation in Learning Aquatic Science and History, is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide environmental and historical education.

SPLASH is a partner with DRBC in an outreach effort entitled Our Shared Waters: A Look at the Delaware River Basin (OSW for short), which aims to increase public awareness of the important role the Delaware River - and the basin as a whole - plays in our daily lives.

SPLASH and the DRBC's activity focused on macroinvertebrates - aka aquatic bugs. Staff collected bugs, fish and crayfish from the Delaware River and displayed them in containers of water for attendees to check out, identify and learn what they can tell us about water quality. SPLASH also brought along microscopes for those that really wanted to get a closer look.

Why macros? They live underwater, among the stones, logs, sediments and aquatic plants on the bottom of streams, rivers and lakes. The condition of the water determines what species can and cannot survive, so the type of creatures you find can help tell about how clean the water is where they were collected. Factors that determine survival include temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels, as well as the presence (or not) of contaminants. In fact, studying the river's aquatic macroinvertebrate communities is one of the ways DRBC scientists determine the biological health of the river. 

The consensus? Squirming around in the leaf debris in the trays were crayfish and various aquatic insects, including mayfly and stonefly nymphs. These organisms are pollutant intolerant, meaning that they require high quality, clean water to be able to thrive. This is an indicator that the Delaware River where these bugs were collected is healthy and supportive of a robust biological community.

This event was a great place for DRBC and SPLASH to exhibit, and providing hands-on experiences helped attendees get a better understanding of what we do to help monitor and protect our waterways. Folks really enjoyed getting a closer look at what's living in the river. Connecting with the public helps share information about the Delaware River and the many organizations that are working to protect it, as well as encourages stewardship of our shared water resources.

Trenton River Days Fair was planned and organized by several entities, including The Watershed Institute, Mercer County Park Commission, The City of Trenton, D&R Greenway Land Trust and the Alliance for Watershed Education. We look forward to being back next year!

Check out photos courtesy of The Watershed Institute & enjoy a few from our tent below!

DRBC and SPLASH joined forces to table together at Trenton River Days. We enjoy working together! Photo by the DRBC.	The DRBC's map of the Delaware River Basin is always popular. It's a great way to get oriented to the DRB. Photo courtesy of SPLASH.	Kids enjoyed the opportunity to be able to find creatures in the trays and hold them for a closer look! Photo by the DRBC.
Kids enjoyed the opportunity to be able to find creatures in the trays and hold them for a closer look! Photo by the DRBC.	Kids enjoyed the opportunity to be able to find creatures in the trays and hold them for a closer look! Photo by the DRBC.	Kids enjoyed the opportunity to be able to find creatures in the trays and hold them for a closer look! Photo by the DRBC.
Kids enjoyed the opportunity to be able to find creatures in the trays. It's hard to see, but she "caught" a very large crayfish! Photo by the DRBC.	Kids (and adults) enjoyed the opportunity to check out the trays & see what they can find! Photo by the DRBC.	Kids (and adults) enjoyed the opportunity to check out the trays & see what they can find! Photo by the DRBC.