Fifth-graders from Mars Area Centennial School will study water resources and conservation as part of the Mars Area Water Protection Program on Fridays, Sept. 14-Oct. 12.

Each fall, fifth-graders travel to Breakneck Creek to study the physical, chemical and biological properties of the watershed. With guidance from student volunteers and science teachers from Mars Area High School, fifth-graders test the temperature, depth and speed of the stream as well as pH levels. The students also collect biological samples such as crayfish and mayflies.

Fifth-graders also learn about the characteristics of Breakneck Creek, which flows into the Connoquenessing Creek, then the Beaver River, the Ohio River, the Mississippi River and eventually to the Gulf of Mexico. The program stresses the importance of keeping the watershed pollution-free, noting that while approximately three-fourths of the earth is covered by water, less than one percent is drinkable.

The field trips are part of the Mars Area Water Protection Program, which employs a “hands-on, cross-curricular” approach to train high school students in hydro-geological content and technology.

Through the Mars Area Water Protection Program, high school students have been testing and studying water in the area for more than 15 years, under the direction of Mars Area High School’s science department. As part of the program, high-schoolers are asked to impart their knowledge to fifth-graders through field trips to Breakneck Creek.

For more information, call (724) 625-2601.