The following activities are some fun ways to learn about stormwater. They can be done at home or in the classroom (don’t forget to ask your parents if you are doing these at home):
Pervious Versus Impervious
1. Get a plastic flower pot and fill it with potting soil. Pour one cup of water into the flower pot.
What happens to the water?
2. Fill the same flower pot with small rocks or gravel. Pour one cup of water into the flower pot.
What happens to the water?
3. Fill a plastic flower pot with Quikrete mix, allow it to set. Pour one cup of water into the pot.
What happens to the water?
Which surfaces are impervious and which are pervious?
Note: If you are using a flower pot with a hole in the bottom, don’t forget to plug the hole, or place the flower pot in the sink or in a container to catch water.
Items in the Storm Drain
Take a piece of paper and a clipboard outside. Walk around the block and write everything you see in the storm drain. Don’t forget to look at the small things like cigarette butts, oil spots, and sand.
What items were most common?
What do you think will happen to these items?
Understanding Watersheds
Look briefly at a map of Casper, find the creeks and drainages.
Draw a picture of Casper and include the mountain, drainages, creeks and river.
Describe how the water flows to the river.