GIRL SCOUT LEARNS ABOUT “HIDDEN SEA” OF GROUND WATER ON WORLD WATER MONITORING DAY
(Left to right) Hydrologist Ralph Haefner of the U.S. Geological Survey in Columbus, Ohio, shows the inner workings of satellite telemetry equipment to Cadette Girl Scout Jasmine Taylor. Taylor, of Westerville, Ohio-based Troop 1552, is working on her troop’s Water Drop Project patch. This equipment is installed on a ground water observation well at the National Ground Water Association headquarters in Westerville. Every hour, ground water level data is sent to a satellite. It is then downloaded and put on the web
GIRL SCOUT LEARNS ABOUT “HIDDEN SEA” OF GROUND WATER ON WORLD WATER MONITORING DAY
A Westerville, Ohio Girl Scout recognized World Water Monitoring Day on Oct. 18 by learning about a vast sea of fresh water that most people know little or nothing about – ground water.
Jasmine Taylor of the Girl Scouts of America, Troop 1552, participated in the unveiling of a new ground water observation well at the headquarters of the National Ground Water Association, located in her hometown.
Ground water makes up more than 90 percent of the world’s available fresh water supply – far more than all the earth’s rivers, lakes, ponds and streams combined.
The U.S. Geological Survey joined in the event, providing satellite uplink technology for the observation well. This makes real-time water level data available through the Web.
To view observation well data , go to http://www.ngwa.org/about/monitoringwell.cfm.
“My Girl Scout Troop is doing a Water Drop Patch project as part of our Silver Award, so the ground water observation well demonstration was a very fun experience. One of the most interesting parts of the demonstration was the core samples taken when the well was made. We were able to see the layers of ground and the quality of our dirt.
“The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) installed equipment that sends the water level measurements from the well at NGWA to a satellite. The information then goes back to the USGS office and appears on a website. That was neat because I never would have thought that people from other places would want to know this information.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to see this demonstration. I also am glad to represent the Girl Scouts of America, Troop 1552.”