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Montana State University Extension Water Quality (MSUEWQ) is engaged with Native American tribes in Montana on a variety of water quality education and outreach projects. Through these collaborative efforts, MSUEWQ provides technical assistance to tribes in water quality monitoring and water quality education for communities, schools, and tribal college audiences.
Projects
Water Quality Monitoring Training and Certification
MSUEWQ is currently working on a Quality Assurance Project Plan with members of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe in Eastern Montana. This plan outlines methods and quality assurance for water quality monitoring efforts conducted by student interns at Little Big Horn Tribal College (LBHC). LBHC faculty, Apsáalooke tribal employees, and MSUEWQ have all been involved in the production of this document.
Tribal, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and 2-year College Water Quality Cirriculum Capacity Building
MSUEWQ has worked with Salish-Kootenai College (SKC) in Pablo, MT to create a water quality teaching package for use by tribal college faculty. The package contains PowerPoint presentations including graphics and instructor notes, assignment ideas, and suggested readings. Faculty at tribal colleges are often required to teach over a broad topic range and may not have extensive background in all subject areas. Water quality has been identified as an important focus of concern on many reservations. The purpose of this teaching package is to increase the capacity of faculty to teach water quality courses without extensive material preparation time.
Tribal Water Quality Management DVD
MSUEWQ is currently working with a student in the MSU Science and Natural History Film Making Program and Salish-Kootenai College (SKC) to produce a film about water quality management on Montana reservations. The video will overview the structure of the Clean Water Act used as the framework most water quality management work is carried out, on reservations. The video contains footage of interviews with members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe concerning water quality work they are involved in. The intention of the video is to outline the federal structure that supports water quality work completed on reservations and what is happening on the ground in Montana under this structure.
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