Ripples Down Willow Brook Illustrations by Vadim Gershman

Peter and Jeanette Brown and their toddler, Ralph, have a home along Willow Brook in Rural, CT, adjacent to the University campus.

The house was built by Peter’s grandfather and Peter remembers playing in the backyard by Willow Brook when he was a child.

Peter is a fine man, loving husband and devoted father.

Jeanette has recently gone back to work after having Ralph, but still tries to spend as much time as possible with the little tyke.

For his part, Ralph is enjoying things… life is good. His job is to explore his new world… oh, and of course, eat and grow.

For years Willow Brook has been a lovely little stream that snakes through the Brown’s backyard where Peter sits to watch the water trickle across his favorite stones.

Most of the time Willow Brook is a pretty, clear, babbling brook that drains into the Fenton River and eventually into Long Island Sound.

But lately there has been an algae bloom and the stones that were once visible through the clear water are now a bit hazy.

Peter has been working hard to improve the yard since he bought his grandfather’s old house last year. Now he notices the changes in Willow Brook and brings it up to Jeanette at dinner.

“Jeanette, the brook is looking kinda nasty… have you noticed it?” “I wonder if something upstream might be causing a problem.”

Next day Jeanette decides to do a little yard work too and checks it out. Sure enough, the brook looks different.

“Peter, I think you’re right. I looked at the brook today and there’s a lot more stuff floating in it than I ever remember seeing.”

“I saw some debris and cans that could be from the construction site for those new graduate apartments that the University is building across from Mirror Lake.”

“There’s litter all along the banks. And I think there’s a funky smell too. I’m worried.”

Since they live in a rural area, the Browns get their water from a 10 foot deep dug well, not a water main like they do in the city. So water quality is a big concern.

That evening as Jeanette is pouring water for the family dinner, she brings up the topic again...

“Peter, I’m worried. I think that something must be wrong with the pond at the University, and it’s running off into our brook.”

“You could be right, Jeanette. The Nitrates level when grandpa built the place was only.5 mg/l, and after the big storm when I was a kid it was 2 mg/l. Now when we bought it last year it was 6 mg/l.”

“Maybe we should contact them. I’m sure they would want to know if there’s a problem.”

“I don’t want Ralph exposed to any pollutants or anything. I think we should drink bottled water for a while.”

The very next day after work, Jeanette composes an to the University chancellor.

When the Chancellor receives the , he is concerned. But, he chooses not to meet with the Brown family right away.

Instead, he immediately calls in his public relations staff and asks for the help of the faculty in showing that the University and the lakes are not at fault.

The Chancellor then responds by to the Brown family.

Peter and Jeanette were disappointed when they received the Chancellor’s message. But two key items in the Chancellor’s letter got their attention….

First, the Chancellor wanted evidence that the University ponds were part of the problem…

Second, there was a website that could supply that evidence, since it continuously monitored the conditions of Swan and Mirror Lakes.

You decide! GEE-WIS Anchor Problem #1: Create a fact-based analysis of the real- time data.

First construct your objective opinion based on the data. Then consider how you will present your findings to the people involved (Browns and/or the University)… and to the public. Will they be the same… should they?

Take the Case… and GOOD LUCK!