Left to right, Collister fourth graders Susie Jackson, Caroline Blakley and Alexandra Mitchell filter Boise River water, Sept. 17, 2026.
Collister Elementary School students Oscar Talbert, left, and Roman Loumeau, right, switched nametags at the 18th annual Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
Collister fourth grader Roman Loumeau wears a friend’s nametag as he look for macroinvertebrates during the Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
Boise WaterShed Education Coordinator Arabelle Britton showed Collister students a mayfly larvae, Sept. 17, 2026.
Collister students Cade Brimhall, left, and Barrett Densley look for macroinvertebrates at the Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
WaterShed Education Coordinator Arabelle Britton grabs the attention of students at the annual Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
Left to right, Collister fourth graders Susie Jackson, Caroline Blakley and Alexandra Mitchell filter Boise River water, Sept. 17, 2026.
Collister Elementary School students Oscar Talbert, left, and Roman Loumeau, right, switched nametags at the 18th annual Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
Collister students Cade Brimhall, left, and Barrett Densley look for macroinvertebrates at the Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
WaterShed Education Coordinator Arabelle Britton grabs the attention of students at the annual Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
GARDEN CITY — Collister Elementary School’s fourth and fifth graders were knee-deep in the Boise River on Thursday morning, starting their day off with a splash.
The field trip to Westmoreland Park was a part of the Boise WaterShed’s 18th annual Watershed Watch. At the same time as these students, over 400 others were also doing research along the river at sites as far west as Parma and east as Lucky Peak. Grades generally ranged between fourth and sixth.
Fourth grade teacher Gwendolyn Balmer had her hands full reining in her students’ excitement as they took samples under the guidance of local experts.
“They get too enthusiastic and want to go out deeper than they should, or a wasp is too close to them,” Balmer said with a chuckle. “You know, normal things. But they’ve had a really good experience.”
Among various tasks, the students used tubes to measure the turbidity of the water, examining how cloudy it was because of natural sediments.
“(The importance is) having real science experiences early on and knowing that it’s not just something we’re learning for the sake of learning,” Balmer said. “There’s a reason to be understanding these ecological and environmental things about their community and their local habitat.”
Boise WaterShed Education Coordinator Arabelle Britton showed Collister students a mayfly larvae, Sept. 17, 2026.
There were a total of 11 active sites at once, according to WaterShed Education Coordinator Arabelle Britton. These 11 separate field trips were only made possible through partnerships.
Teaching kids was a first for Will Tiedemann from the Idaho Conservation League. As a regulatory program manager, Tiedemann spends most of his days monitoring pollution permits and keeping an eye out for violations. Bringing his knowledge to the kids was good practice.
“You take complex tasks and you try to make it so anyone, even fourth graders, can understand it,” he said. “That’s important, right, because river science can be pretty complex, but the more simple and understandable you can make it for everyone, the more everyone can care and have an opinion and be informed.”
Balmer said it is a unique experience for her class to meet professionals in the field and that the students begin to find their own footing in science.
“They are the scientists,” Balmer said, referring to participating groups. “And I really appreciate that they are willing to work with beginning scientists (the fourth graders) to figure out how to take care of things.”
Collister fourth grader Roman Loumeau wears a friend’s nametag as he look for macroinvertebrates during the Watershed Watch, Sept. 17, 2026.
Students later moved on to filtering water through cloth and looking at rocks to find macroinvertebrates. They slowly accrued leeches, mayfly larvae — and water striders as a bonus.
The classes’ efforts will be a part of the WaterShed’s historic data. Collected water samples will be tested for E. coli, phosphorus and more. The results will be logged and eventually added to the state-level Idaho Master Water Stewards database.
“Without science happening on the river, we don’t know how to take care of it,” Britton explained to students.
These field trips often offer students a new way to look at the river they regularly explore, Britton said. And for some, the trip is the first time they truly experience the Boise River.
The river is critical for the Treasure Valley’s environment and a valuable resource in a dry climate. Culturally, Britton also described it as a part of the area’s identity.
“I’ve met with a lot of people who’ve come from other places or like the East Coast, and they’re like, ‘What? You can just swim and fish right in the middle of town?’” she said. “I think there is a whole lot of ecological, mental health as well as community pride benefits with having water.”
More information on the WaterShed Watch can be found at boisewatershed.org/learn/watershed-watch.
Haadiya Tariq is the Boise reporter for the Idaho Press. You can follow her on socials @HaadiyaTariq or email her at htariq@idahopress.com.
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