Falls City High students Allison Endecott and Keith Heidt.

Between May and October of 2005, some 20 volunteers collected water quality data at 15 different locations throughout the Luckiamute river and Ash Creek watersheds. These volunteers contributed over 400 hours of work, measuring water temperature continuously throughout the period, as well as dissolved oxygen levels on a monthly basis. In late September and early October, the volunteers measured E. coli bacteria, an indicator of fecal contamination. From August through October, turbidity, a measure of water clarity, was measured monthly at six locations on the Luckiamute River. The volunteers were trained by the Department of Environmental Quality and used approved methodology and equipment to produce the highest quality data. Results are being quality control checked and analyzed at this time. A public presentation of the findings will be made in the near future. Five students from Falls City and Central High Schools were major contributors to this effort.