Project:

The Effect of Pollutants in Stormwater Runoff on Biodiversity of Mill River in Rockville Centre, NY

Students:

Angelina Kramer, Fiona Marren

School:

Sacred Heart Academy, Nassau

Mentors:

Karen Kuntz

Abstract:

Our project will be testing how pollution from stormwater runoff in Mill River of Rockville Centre, NY affects the biodiversity of aquatic (freshwater) macroinvertebrates found at this location. We are interested in surveying biodiversity at Mill River because a project called "Living with the Bay" has been in the news recently. This project aims to clean up Mill River and its surrounding areas. The concern about Mill River stems from the fact that storm water drains through the land and into nearby ponds and rivers, bringing any pollutants that may be in the ground with it. The large amount of human activity near Mill River is a cause for concern, because we do not yet know the effects of this pollution on human health. We are also interested in Mill River because it is located near a sewage treatment plant that has overflowed in recent years resulting in residual wastewater pollution which can and most likely has come in contact with living organisms including humans, possibly affect

Poster:

Team samples: