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Education Programs
Water Trailer:
The
water trailer is a hands on educational tool,
which the District personnel uses to educate
children about water and its many different
relationships. The water trailer was partially
funded by a special grant from the Environmental
Protection Agency through the Nebraska
Department of Environmental Quality, under
Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The water
trailer uses recycled plastic for sand. Water
running through the plastic simulates the flow
of a river, erosion, sedimentation, ground water
movement, channelization, watersheds, impacts on
wildlife, and the effect humans have on water.
The water trailer is roughly nine feet by seven
feet, and is used mostly outside because of its
size. It is large enough to comfortably
accommodate 25-30 students at one time. Due to
weather restrictions, the trailer is used in
late spring, summer, and early fall, but use is
not limited to these times.
The water trailer can be used for K-6 and up. We
can have a scenario prepared or we can tailor
the learning to what is being taught in a class.
For the younger children, demonstrations last
10-15 minutes. For older students, it depends on
their interests. We can fit the water trailer
into most schedules, but do require time to
re-build the model in between different groups.
The water trailer works well for science fairs,
to complement a science lesson, or for a fun
learning experience the class won't forget!
There is no charge to have District personnel
demonstrate the water trailer, no matter how
many times we present it.
Some comments made by students who have attended
the Water Expo:
"My favorite thing was the river system model.
It is just so much easier to understand when you
see what they are talking about." - Alissa A.
"I liked how we got to see how the river system
model worked and how one little thing like
moving trees can cause bigger things to happen
like erosion." - Jack B.
"It was fascinating to see the shaping of the
land caused by a real river." - Melynda A.
"The river system model was the coolest model I
have ever seen." - Codi C.
"My favorite place was probably the wetlands.
There I liked the riparian model. I liked that
place because you got to dig holes and watch the
water rise in them. You also got to see the
ground erode and watch currents form. I probably
learned the most at the riparian model." - Ryan
C.
"I liked the riparian model. It was cool and a
good display on how to teach what a river does.
I learned a lot from that!" - Amy B.
Scholarships:
Range Youth Camp
The purpose
of this camp is to provide education to youth in
Nebraska, ages 14-18, who are interested in
rangelands and practical range management. They
develop an awareness of the extent, importance,
and value of Nebraska's greatest renewable
resource; develop an appreciation of the value
of optimum range and livestock management;
encourage leadership and good rangeland
stewardship by Nebraska youth through increased
awareness of natural resource issues; and
develop an awareness of information sources for
evaluating management alternatives.
The
program emphasizes plant-soil-animal
relationships, range livestock management,
ranching, economics, and wildlife habitat
management. The weeks emphasis is on field and
classroom activities designed to provide
management education.
Natural Resources & Leadership Camp
The purpose of
this camp is to provide youth, ages 13-19, an
opportunity to gain experience in leadership and
knowledge about natural resources. Activities
include field trips, visiting a working ranch,
and numerous hands-on exercises.
Miscellaneous Scholarships
Other
scholarships may be available for students and
teachers per request for environmental and
conservation education, and will be taken on a
case-by-case basis. For more information on any
of the scholarships, please contact our office.
Outdoor Classrooms:
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The idea of an Outdoor Classroom was
launched in March of 1976 when the seventh
grade science students petitioned the
Ogallala City Council to set aside a sandy
weed patch site as a nature study area.
Assisted by the City, the Twin Platte
Natural Resources District, the Soil
Conservation Service, and Clarence Collister,
the Junior High students along with their
science instructor, George Acker, developed
a 12-acre oasis along the south side of the
South Platte River just west of the Holiday
Inn.
"It is a place where people can observe
plants and animals without upsetting natural
systems, and where students can observe
nature and understand it better."
With the help of other organizations, we
want to develop the area even further by
making it a more accessible park to
tourists, people of surrounding communities,
and for students interested in studying
nature.
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In 1992, the Village of Brady gave their
old landfill a new look, transforming the
site into a wildlife habitat preserve and
wilderness area. The 11 acre project
provides wilderness footpaths, benches for
resting and bird watching, and a parking
area in addition to the wildlife habitat
preserve. Thanks to the Game and Parks
Commission which provided financial
assistance for the trees, the Twin Platte
Natural Resources District for developing
the tree plans and planting the trees, and
the Village of Brady for providing the space
for the preserve. |
Demonstration Plots:
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The Twin Platte Natural Resources District
works
one-on-one with Producers, as shown in the
picture. |
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Flow Meter Use:
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The Twin Platte Natural
Resources District has a portable
ultrasonic flow meter thanks to a
319 grant from the Nebraska
Department of Environmental Quality.
The flow meter can provide producers
flow rates on their irrigation
systems. The actual flow rate is
measured in gallons per minute,
which is very important for proper
irrigation management.
The District believes that producers
are attempting to use water as
efficiently as possible to conserve
the available water, and to minimize
costs. Results have shown that many
producers are applying different
amounts of water for irrigation than
they realize. With the knowledge
provided by the District's portable
flow meter, the producer will know
the amount of water that is pumped
and can optimize the use of water
for irrigation. |
If excess water is applied, fuel and
water are wasted and the application
of excess water can contribute to
leaching of fertilizer and other
agri-chemicals out of the root zone,
where it is of no value to the crop
and can pollute the ground water.
There is no service fee
to offset part of the District's
staff and travel cost when using the
ultrasonic flow meter for
determining the flow of irrigation
water for a producer. |
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