Learning Objectives for Classroom Exercises
Water Management for the 21^st Century

Day 1

Kit A: Water Quality (Jeapordy-style Game)
Given two hours and the contents of this teaching kit, along with a classroom performance system (CPS), and a laptop/projector – students will demonstrate the ability to identify and to differentiate the properties of their local city drinking water according to EPA Primary and Secondary Standards.

Kit B: Water Sampling for Quality Indicators (Exercise with Provided Sampling Array and Take Home Test Kits)
Given one hour and the contents of this teaching kit, along with several jars of different waters for sampling, students will demonstrate the ability to accurately analyze and plan appropriate water treatment methodologies for the different water samples. There are 12 samples representing 6 distinct real world treatment challenges. Home test kits are also given to each student with suggestions for how to involve family membes in water quality protection discussions.

Day 2

Kit A: Tools, Rules and Systems (Show and Tells and Card Game )
Given the contents of these show-and-tell components and a comprehensive introduction with functioning demonstrations, where possible, students will be able to recognize and demonstrate (match up) the most commonly used tools of water conservation as they are applied in various systems (i.e. PRV’s in backflow prevention systems, grease traps in hot water dishwasher systems, dataloger-meters and water balance software (AWWA standards) in water budgeting systems. The (75 cards) kit is for playing a match-up card game utilizing water conservation Tools, Rules and Systems. The object of the game is for students to compete in order to demonstrate that they can recognize and create (and defend) triplet combinations of the three card types; i.e. that they can relate the use of (25) specific tools in the context of (25) specific systems in order to meet (25) specific (regulatory) rules.

Kit B: Home Water Conservation (Student Take Home Kits)
Given the contents of these student hand-out kits and a comprehensive introduction with show-and-tells and functioning demonstrations, students will be able to apply home conservation tools to better identify and correct water losses and to exert more and better control over their family/home water consumption. The kits have installation and metering components for both outside and inside home improvements and repairs. Students will also be better prepared to instruct their children or grandchildren in practical techniques for water conservation.

Day 3

Kit A: Conservation Choices and Success Stories: (A Project Review Exercise)
Originally developed as part of Project Wet (NMSU) - Conservation Choices is a scenario solutions game. Here it has been modified to deal with water conservation for landscape and irrigation projects and for integrated research, extension, and education projects. Specific, detailed rural agricultural and urban landscape projects are reviewed and problems are posed involving predictions of outputs and outcomes in the context of actual projects. Planning and design, soils, mulches, composting, plant materials and efficient irrigation systems are explored using actual project plans developed and funded for USDA , USBOR, Transborder and IBWC, EPA, and USFS projects collected along the 24 Southern border counties. Common themes relate to innovative and highly successful applications of new technology in water conservation for farming, ranching, aquaculture, small rural border community water co-ops, and urban and agroforestry projects. Students take home a 6-pack of xeroscape bedding plants and a xeroscape guide to hopefully share with family members.

Kit B: An Introduction and Overview of Three Software Programs
In the computer lab - students will be guided through demonstrations of three software packages (also contained on a take-home student DVD/CDR). One is a configurable landscaping program called “Water-Wise Gardening in Contra Costa County.” It is a gardening guide and encyclopedia of water-wise landscape design, irrigation and maintenance tips for gardeners and it allows for creation of nursery plant lists and reports. Another program was originally produced by the New England Water Works Association as a security survey and evaluation Tool. It guides the user through a vulnerability and threat analysis for op-sec, physical- and cyber-security and suggests appropriate safeguards. The third program is a water balance and auditing software package for rate structuring (AWWA) that creates spread sheets for use as decision tools for water managers. It deals with fundamentals of municipal source water protection and with surety (reliability, safety and security) management reporting and accounting issues.

Day 4

Kit A: Pass the Jug: (A Role Play Game.)
Originally developed as part of Project Wet (NMSU) – Pass the Jug is an allocation exercise intended to place the students in situations wherein a limited resource (available water) must be fairly allocated and reallocated according to competing and changing demands on the part of various “interests.” Students pour water from a jug into their assigned numbers of cups. They then must trade for their own and other participants water cups in an open “market” according to the water rights they own. The situations are based on the film “Phoenix, The Urban Desert” and a glossary of water conservation terms used by city managers and state water planners. Given the one hour preparation - a one hour exercise places the students under time and choice constraints in order to sensitize them to the real world realities of limited supplies and competing interests. Pass the Jug quickly becomes a dilemmas game that forces participant “water mangers” to make difficult choices from among competing ethical, financial and practical alternatives. Considerations and compromises are further exacerbated by the introduction of intractable issues regarding local BOR project commitments, long range forest service plans, fixed municipal plans, cross-border treaty obligations, interstate compact obligations, non-revenue population trends and the always-changing water resource base.

Kit B: Student Presentaions
Using a variety of presentation equipment and media, students present their individually developed water related research projects. Some of the projects are web-based, some are community interview/documentary based (digital diaries, photo essays, written essays, etc.). Projects are intended first for peer review and then for posting at UNUM-NFP.ORG for future in-class use, student forums and additional student research. A class banner project (“Our Local Water Situation”) is recorded for other border county classes and a local POC list is developed for use as a class handout. Projects are posted to the student website on the appropriate forum pages. Students are shown how to access their internet presentations for future “home movies.”