A Day in the Life of the Hudson River
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
On one day each autumn, hundreds of students from New York City to Troy participate in the sixth-annual "A Day in the Life of the Hudson River" event. Students collect scientific information to create snapshots of the river at dozens of locations, then share their data using Web-based technology so they can better understand how their piece of the river fits into the larger Hudson estuary ecosystem. In 2008, more than 2,600 students participated at 53 locations on the estuary.
Sponsored by DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program and run in conjunction with Hudson Basin River Watch, "A Day in the Life of the Hudson River" coincides with National Estuaries Day and World Water Monitoring Day.
At each location, teams of students and environmental educators use seine nets and lab equipment to investigate aquatic life, water chemistry and quality, tides and weather. Many groups also collect core samples of river bottom mud for analysis.
Some of the findings contribute to ongoing research projects, and data from the event is incorporated into the lesson plans developed by the Hudson River Estuary Program and available to all teachers in the Hudson Valley.
In many cases, we help participating teachers partner with local environmental groups for the day's events. Education trainings, online lesson plans, specialized equipment, six years of data, and a variety of other resources are provided.
For more information, including six years of data, visual aids and contact information, please visit the Official Day in the Life of the Hudson web site using Offsite Links on the right side of this page.
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Download a pdf version of the Press Release for the 2008 Day in the Life of the Hudson River (50 kb pdf)
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Read the Press Release for the 2008 Day in the Life of the Hudson River
