Last month, teachers from several area high schools in the Washoe County School District invested their time to learn more about local watershed programs that help protect Truckee River water quality. The full day was organized by TMWA with support from the Desert Research Institute’s STEM Education Program.

The day started out classroom style, then transitioned into a multi-location field trip. Regional watershed experts from The Nature Conservancy, the US Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation provided a local perspective on how principles of earth and environmental science are being applied in our region.

Teachers from Hug, McQueen, Wooster, Reed and Sparks High Schools also earned professional development credits for their participation. With their feedback, TMWA and DRI will develop a standards-based curriculum that will focus on the Truckee River Watershed, with finalized lesson plans available for teachers to use in the 2025-2026 school year.