Folks stop by the DRBC/SPLASH table at Trenton River Days. Photo by the DRBC.

The DRBC team was thrilled to return this year to Trenton River Days at Trenton's South Riverwalk Park! The fair allowed attendees to participate in fun, free and interactive activities that celebrated our shared water resources and highlighted the local community.

Our staff proudly teamed up for another year with SPLASH. SPLASH stands for Student Participation in Learning Aquatic Science & History and is a Lambertville-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide unique educational adventures that inspire both children and adults to learn about the Delaware Watershed, STEM sciences, local history and more. The organization has also been a longstanding partner of DRBC through the Our Shared Waters initiative, which seeks to build public awareness of the far-reaching natural resource value of the Delaware River Basin. 

Together, DRBC and SPLASH teamed up to teach about macroinvertebrates (aquatic bugs or macros) in the Delaware River. Many folks who stopped by the SPLASH/DRBC table were surprised to learn that these bugs are actually an important indicator of water quality. Macros are found nestled on a waterway's bottom amidst muddy sediments and under rocks. Because some macroinvertebrates are so sensitive to water conditions (and referred to scientifically as "pollution intolerant"), if they are found in present conditions, it means that water quality is clean enough to support their survival. Examples of "pollution intolerant" macroinvertebrates include mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies.

The Trenton River Festival was a great opportunity to bring the worlds of science, experiential learning, local knowledge and environmental stewardship together.

Thank you to The Watershed Institute, Mercer County Park Commission, Tulpehaking Nature Center, Friends for the Abbott Marshlands, the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River, Mercer County, ArtWorks and the City of Trenton for putting on this educational event!

Folks stop by the DRBC/SPLASH table at Trenton River Days. Photo by the DRBC.	Trenton River Days offered folks the opportunity to get in a canoe or kayak! Photo by the DRBC.

Two DRBC staff sit at a table full of educational materials. The Delaware River is in the background. Photo by the DRBC.

Another long-standing event that DRBC staff enjoys participating in each year is the Delaware River Festival! Like last year, staff tabled along Camden's Delaware River waterfront. 

DRBC staff connected with festival attendees, talking about the abundance of life that the Delaware River Basin supports, namely bald eagles, American shad and macroinvertebrates (aquatic bugs). Many were surprised to learn that some bugs indicate healthy water conditions! Discussions also centered on clean drinking water, recreation and how the DRBC works to manage, protect and improve water resources for millions of people.

The Delaware River Festival offered activities on both sides of the Delaware River, all for free, including the ferry rides that allowed attendees to experience everything offered in Camden and Philadelphia. Hosted collaboratively by Our Shared Waters partners the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary on the Philadelphia side and the Center for Aquatic Sciences on the Camden side, the festival fosters connections and signals unity centered around environmental stewardship.

The day's drizzly conditions did not damper DRBC staff or festival goers; everyone enjoyed learning about and celebrating the Delaware River!

A misty, foggy Delaware River. The Ben Franklin Bridge is in the background. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC's neighbors at the Festival were two wildlife educators from the Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. They brought an owl named Clementine (center). Photo by the DRBC.