~~Down @ the Crick~~

~ CROSSROADs ~

A commissioned report for the National Science Foundation
re: ~Down @ the Crick~ or Field Science by Wireless
written by Terry Casey ( aka etlady@postmark.net )
Tuesday, May 5, 1998

^page¹ * ² * ³* ⁴ * ⁵ * ⁶ * ^addendum *

Tuesday, May 5, 1998

Problems: Changing channelized stretches of creek including Brewery Flats back to natural meandering habitats complete with riparian zones. Protecting a healthy tourism industry's need for continued access to a Blue~Ribbon Trout fishing stream.
Solution: Formation of Brewery Flats Stream Restoration and Trail project.
Result: Funding and permits are obtained...Clean~up and Construction begins in 1998.

Problem: Maintaining the macroinvertibrates population for the health of the creek and the wildlife...Locating and eliminating PCB and other sources of contamination.
Solution: Year round data needed to keep a closer eye on the water quality. A permanent place is found to store, study and access water quality data collected by the life science junior high students.
Result: National Science Foundation Wireless Field Tests for education grant awarded to School District Number One.
( http://www.nsf.org )
( http://www.wireless.oldcolo.com )

Current News Happenings

1996 (Jan-Dec) One of the coldest years on record since 1951...average temperature was 40.2 degrees Fahrenheit...with December breaking previous 1958 record with 21 below zero days. In the Spring, a Fergus High School graduate goes on to complete his education at Cal-Tech. In the Fall, students from Fergus High School win regional and state science competitions and go on to compete in the Department of Energy's Annual National Science Bowl...They are the ONLY public school among 18 finalists in the U.S.

photo: StarGaZers

1997 In the Summer, Lewistown residents are warned not to drink local water due to possible ecolli contamination ...after a couple weeks, the source of the problem is isolated, corrected and the warning is lifted.
On the first day of Autumn, David R. Hughes, Sr., Principal Investigator for National Science Foundation (NSF) Wireless Field Tests for education made a formal presentation to local residents and educators about the potential of advanced technology (spread spectrum) no-license wireless for linking the small schools in towns around Lewistown, to it, and the Internet. And he learns about the real-science, real-education Brewery Flats Project run by Steve Paulson, Life Science Teacher. He offers to support the project wirelessly. And to pay for the sensors, the solar power supplies, the enclosures, radios, and software.

1998 Lewistown News Argus - (February 14, 1998) National 'wireless' spotlight to shine on Lewistown this year "...Lewistown Junior High School science teacher Steve Paulson has been conducting studies on Spring Creek (and other tributaries) with his students for 16 years; but (they had been manually collecting the data and were limited to weather conditions and school timetables)...thanks to the National Science Foundation, the students are moving rapidly into a new age of wireless technology..."
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