5th Annual Secchi Day will be held Aug 21st at Prairie Creek

The 5th annual Secchi Day on Beaver Lake will be held on Saturday, Aug. 21, at the East and West Shelters near the boat ramp at Prairie Creek on Beaver Lake.

Volunteers are being recruited now to help with Beaver Lake monitoring done with use of a Secchi disk-  a black and white device lowered into the water to measure clarity.      Volunteers are trained at lakeside about 10 minutes before they launch from four different sites that morning. While on the lake, they travel to a specific location to measure clarity with the Secchi disk while also gathering water samples to be analyzed for chlorophyll a, nitrate, and total phosphorous.

In addition to the sampling activity, there are other opportunities to have fun.

Visit www.bwdh2o.org to download a flyer. Prairie Creek is easy to find. Just take state Hwy. 12 east of Rogers for about 4 miles. Turn left on North Park Road and go about 1 mile. The physical address is 9300 North Park Road, Rogers, Ark., 72756. The event schedule follows:

• 8:30 – 11 a.m.: Teams take Secchi measurements & water samples. (Must have boat; must pre-register. To volunteer, e-mail your name and a daytime phone number to Drew Dickey at ddickey@bwdh2o.org.)

• 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.: Pontoon boat rides. (Free, but sign up on site. First come, first-served.)

• 9 & 10:30 a.m.: Rain barrel building. (Must pre-register; must pre-pay. Take your rain barrel home that day. These workshops always fill up! Call 479- 271-1060.)

• 10 a.m. – noon: Water Education Festival. (All ages. Prizes too. Free!)

• 11:30 a.m.: Lunch (No charge; hotdogs w/veggie option, until they’re gone!)
• Noon to 12:30 p.m.: Marshall Mitchell Performs Water Songs (Free! Good family fun for all ages. Sing-along!)

For more information about Secchi Day, visit www.bwdh2o.org. Or contact Amy Wilson, Director of Public Affairs for Beaver Water District, at 479-717-3807 or awilson@bwdh2o.org.