The Clean Water Celebration 2011 in Gary, Indiana on Saturday, September 3 offered an opportunity for IISG’s Leslie Dorworth and Carolyn Foley to talk with visitors about what they can do to reduce unwanted inputs into waterways. However, this was not a dry lesson–learning took place by playing the Watershed Game, which was developed by Northland NEMO, Minnesota Sea Grant, and University of Minnesota Extension. In this game, participants apply plans, practices, and policies that help them achieve a water quality goal for a stream, lake, or river.

People of all ages joined in to play the game. They chose best management practices to employ in different landscapes (farmland, city, residential, or parks and open space areas) to help reduce phosphorus inputs into a fictional lake.

This was the seventh annual event, which took place in Marquette Park. In addition to fun, the focus of the Clean Water Celebration is water sports safety and protecting water quality.