There are a variety of projects and events in the watershed jointly sponsored and attended by local residents, students, faculty, and administration from local schools and colleges, and other regional non-profit groups.

A Boat for Monday Creek

MCRP's Mike Steinmaus and Norah Newberg attended the National Watershed Outreach Conference held in San Diego back in 2000, where they were inspired by model educational programs that have successfully engaged adults and youth in watershed activities. Norah successfully proposed a boat-building program as an outreach activity within an Ohio EPA grant, under the provisions of Section 319(h) of the Federal Clean Water Act. During its three-year life, the grant will fund the purchase of a boat kit each year.

The first boat is completed, with a launch date September 14, 2002. Read more about it.

The Friends of Monday Creek

The Friends of Monday Creek is the local citizen’s arm of the Monday Creek Restoration Project. Together with the Technical Team, The Friends of Monday Creek are the primary stakeholders in the Monday Creek partnership. The Friends of Monday Creek and the project’s Technical Team share ideas to develop a long-term restoration strategy. For more information regarding The Friends of Monday Creek, their meetings, and other activities, contact us at MCRP.

Macroinvertebrate Sampling Program

Our group has a volunteer-based macroinvertebrate sampling project. As ongoing projects such as mine reclamation and streambank stabilization improve the health of the watershed, macroinvertebrate sampling will supply some of the data needed to determine the benefits these activities have on the ecosystem. Like our other water quality monitoring projects, macroinvertebrate sampling programs are designed to serve another purpose just as important: getting the community directly involved with the restoration of our watershed.

Environmental Learning Program (ELP), a Rural Action Project

ELP is a project of Rural Action, a membership-based, non-profit organization promoting social, economic and environmental justice in Appalachian Ohio. ELP serves grade K-6 students and teachers at twelve schools in four area school districts within Athens and Vinton Counties by providing environmental education programs at no cost to the schools. Our hands-on learning episodes run from two to five hours and are held on school grounds or at local state parks. The ELP SchoolLinks pages provide teachers and students with links to online activities and information to complement topics covered in each learning episode.

The Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council

The Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council is a coalition of community organizations, governmental bodies, and educational institutions, as well as individuals with common interests in the sustainable economic and social development of southern Perry, northern Athens, and eastern Hocking Counties of Ohio. Of particular interest to this group is raising the level of awareness of local people of the shared historical, geographical, cultural and environmental history of the region. The group’s web site can be accessed through the Southern Local School District’s Web site. Once at the site, click on the LCBD site and browse.

Service Learning

The Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD), Hocking College, and Sunday Creek Associates are working together on a project sponsored by the Campus Compact for Community Colleges, that places students in projects that benefit local communities. Entitled 2 + 4 = Service on Common Ground, the project will pair students from Hocking College and Ohio University in joint service learning projects that benefit the communities of the Monday Creek watershed.

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