When: April 17-19 2020

 

Where: Dominguez-Escalante Canyon

 

Who: Excited Western Students

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April 2020 Trip CANCLLED due to COVID-19

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We hope to have the trip re-launch in April 2021!

Stay tuned for more information and the new application process!

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Check out the resources compiled in 2020:

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Details: The Western Water Channel Presents our first-ever student-driven River Research Trip - the Maiden Voyage - April 17th, 18th, 19th 2020, on the Lower Gunnison River through Dominguez-Escalante Canyon. The three-day two-night excursion will expand on the current goals of the Channel by taking a bold step toward becoming leaders in western water conservation. The trip will encompass a multidisciplinary approach, welcoming students from all disciplines, majors, and minors to either help facilitate education on or simply join in the conversation on topics of water quality, land management practices, water recreation and boater safety, aquatic wildfire, regional anthropology, and water conservation challenges. The Maiden Voyage will provide a unique opportunity to student participants to not only apply their skillset to the challenges faced on the Lower Gunnison River, it will allow them to see through the lenses of other experts to get a broad view of the multitude of factors that shape a river. The trip will produce a three-fold product including a scholarly article to disseminate our research, a short film to capture the essence of the learning experience, and an artistic representation to capture the spirit of the river. 

We believe that experiential learning is the most valuable way to instill knowledge, so with help from grants and donors, we plan to make the trip accessible to all student participants by fully covering trip changes.

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If you would like to support the Channel in funding the trip please contact us via email at thewesternwaterchannel@gmail.com.

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Follow this link to a similar, but much larger scale, trip done last May: https://www.powell150.org/

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Trip Timetable:

Fall 2019 – Water Channel Board met regularly to discuss trip design, goals, etc. Channel members applied for grants and began contacting stakeholders. 

January 15th – First river trip planning meeting at 5pm in the Ice Lab. 

January 29th – Second river trip meeting to further develop lesson plan ideas and directions, 5pm in the Ice Lab. 

February - March – Meetings held twice monthly time and location TBD. Students research and prepare lesson plans. 

April 16th – Final trip preparation, equipment checkout from WCU Wilderness Pursuits, van checkout from WCU motor pool, safety checks and briefings. 

April 17th – 19th - River Research Trip is conducted.  See detailed schedule of trip plans below. 

April 20th - Return WCU Wilderness Pursuits gear and WCU vans. Start work on documentary, art projects, collection of river stories. Finalize Celebration of Scholarship poster.  

April 30th - Celebration of Scholarship Poster Session. 

May 6th and 8th - ENVS 400 Project Presentations. 

May 20th-22nd - Second annual Western Water Futures Games

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Trip Schedule:

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