“A Day in the Life” of Green’s Creek

November 21, 2023

On November 3rd, 2023, Sayville Science Research (RISE) students participated in the annual “A Day in the Life” program, hosted by the Long Island Pine Barrens Commission, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Suffolk County Water Authority, and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. This STEM-based program gets students outdoors to creeks, rivers, and streams to conduct basic biological and chemical sampling for a one-day snapshot of the waterway’s ecological health. Sayville RISE Students examined the physical and chemical aspects of the Green’s creek from Brookside County Park to the Great South Bay.  RISE Students used hands-on field techniques to describe their sampling sites, catch fish in seine nets, collect water and invertebrate samples, develop a biodiversity inventory and analyze water chemistry. Students also tested the turbidity and oxygen levels, and conducted biodiversity inventories of the flora and fauna of the Green’s creek ecosystem. This information will be compared from year to year to assess the overall health of Sayville High Schools’ nearest  body of moving water.