Congratulations to teachers Jud Atwater and Melissa Turner of Lodi High; Sandi Starr of Tokay High; Janine Jacinto of Heritage Elementary; and Melanie Martinez of Reese Elementary!
The 2016 Frank R. Beeler Watershed Stewardship Award was presented to City of Lodi’s Storm Drain Detective team leaders at the annual October EMBUD Pardee barbecue. Representing the SDD team leaders were Melissa Turner, Jud Atwater and Sandi Starr.
The Lower Mokelumne River Watershed Stewardship Steering Committee of the San Joaquin County Resource Conservation District and the Lower Mokelumne River Partnership (which includes the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and East Bay Municipal Utility District), presented the award to the teachers:
- Melissa Turner, who teaches Pre-AP Honors, has involved her students in the program since 2004.
- Sandi Starr, who teaches AP Environmental Science, has been in the program since 2007.
- Jud Atwater, who teaches AP Environmental Science, joined the program since 2013.
- Janine Jacinto, who teaches fifth grade, has had her students participate since 2014.
- Melanie Martinez, the newest member, teaches sixth grade. She joined in 2016.
- Volunteer Curt Juran, retired City of Lodi streets and drainage superintendent, was also recognized for his time with the program, beginning in 2011.
The Mokelumne River is a valuable resource that supports the economic, environmental, and aesthetic welfare of California. The Frank R. Beeler Watershed Stewardship Award is presented annually to acknowledge and recognize an individual or organization within the Lower Mokelumne River watershed who has shown outstanding leadership, responsibility, or activism in the promotion of sound and innovative natural resource stewardship practices that help sustain the environment and enhance productivity and profitability in the Mokelumne River watershed.
The Storm Drain Detectives are a City of Lodi organization of students, teachers and volunteers who have been monitoring the Lower Mokelumne River since 2001 at five sites, twice monthly, to determine the impact that the City of Lodi’s stormwater runoff has on the water quality of the river.
Students learn valuable skills as they use water quality equipment to measure pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity, nitrates, and electrical conductivity. Data is collected and posted online. Teachers are able to help students make connections with science concepts in their curriculum, as well as expose them to potential future water related careers.
Each year in May, SDD students present their data findings to the public.
Mr. Frank Robert Beeler (1953-2009)
Frank Beeler was a water and wastewater superintendent for the City of Lodi, as well as an active participant and advocate for the Lower Mokelumne River Watershed Stewardship Plan and the Lower Mokelumne River Watershed Stewardship Steering Committee.
Mr. Beeler was a leader in the city’s stormwater program and tirelessly supported volunteer watershed stewardship activities such as the Storm Drain Detectives. He was also a world-class powerlifter, having won many national and international medals. Mr. Beeler’s death from cancer, only nine weeks after diagnosis, in April 2009 was a great loss to the community.
Past recipients of the Beeler Award include Kathy Grant (City of Lodi), Brad Lange (LangeTwins), Chris Locke (Locke Ranch), Tom Hoffman (Heritage Oak Winery), Vino Farms LLC, the Center For Land-Based Learning (SLEWS program), Anders Christensen, (Woodbridge Irrigation District), and John Brodie, former Lower Mokelumne River Watershed Coordinator for the San Joaquin County Resource Conservation District.