1. Mission Briefing - Lake Ulrich A lake at the crossroads.

2. Lake Ulrich is a pristine body of water, just to the west of town. It is used by the small city that surrounds for its drinking water, recreation, and irrigation. There are small farms that surround the eastern shore of the lake. There is a small campground on the southern shore of the lake and a city run recreation area is on the northern shore. Interspersed between these entities are small developments of homes. Some of the homes are moderately priced; some are much larger with docks and boats that use the beauty of the site for personal pleasures and recreation. The downtown section of the city is located on Lake Ulrich’s western shore. Lake Ulrich Overview

3. A scientist from the city’s small college has brought a group of students out to the lake to test Lake Ulrich’s water quality. She hasn’t brought a group out here in the last five years. The last time she was here, the water was beautifully pristine and clear. There was no odor, no presence of soap, and had a pH of 7.0. As her students return their results to her, she is terribly dismayed! Lake Ulrich is now smelly, turbid-no longer clear, shows evidence of soap and trash, and has a terrible chemical odor. She wonders what could have been happening to damage the once beautiful and important resource for the city. She vows to find out and clean up Lake Ulrich with the help of her students! She and her students go off on a mission to discover what has happened. Lake Ulrich the Mission

4. The farmer, Mr. Wooley, reports that each year at this time, his farm and all the neighboring farms have plowed their crops under, exposing the soil to the elements. He wonders if the bare dirt is being washed into the lake with each rain. From the farm Student: Pour dirt into the container representing Lake Ulrich. Student:

5. Ms. Lyda is in charge of the city’s recreation area. She says that over the last few years, the area has become very popular families, especially large reunions and group events. She is proud that the city’s residents find the spot so desirable. She has as many employees now as she did when only small groups and individuals used the area. She wonders if some trash might blow into the Lake before her employees can get to all the trash bins. From the recreation area Student: Pour small pieces of napkins, paper, Styrofoam, etc, into the water. Student:

6. Trooper Bailey is in charge of the city’s campground. He reports that they have several cabins and tent sites, but knows that campers never allow trash to be left behind! That is the camper’s motto- leave it better than you found it! He also explains that because so many good people are using the campground, they trucked in sand, just last year, and extended the small beach so that more campers could enjoy it. Trooper Bailey has noticed that the beach area seems to be smaller and wonders if the waves have eroded the area From the campground Student: Pour sand into the water. Student:

7. The Ratcliff family is very busy. One son is in soccer, one is in band, and the daughter seems to be in every sport-year round. So they have a lawn maintenance company come out and take care of their lawn. It is truly beautiful and lush. The lawn slopes all the way down to the shore of Lake Ulrich. The Ratcliff family is sure they are not contributing to the pollution of Lake Ulrich. They never dump trash or even their dog’s waste into the lake. But they have noticed that if it rains after the lawn is treated there is a funny smell coming up from the lake. From a homeowner Student: Pour alcohol/vinegar into the water. Student:

8. The Mason family is also very busy. Their children are also involved in many activities. They too are very sure they cannot be the cause of any pollution to Lake Ulrich. Why just last week, they had a car wash to raise money for their daughter’s scout troop. They couldn’t believe how many cars came into their cul-de-sac. The cement runoff gully that runs between their house and the next property was just gushing with all the soapy water from the cars. Mrs. Salim ponders a moment and admits that the gully runs straight into Lake Ulrich. From another homeowner Student: Pour liquid detergent into the water. Student:

9. The local hardware and repair store is always bustling with business. Ms. Simmons is the manager on duty. She proudly describes all the tools and services that are available at the store. She explains that Saturday is by far the busiest day of the week. So many people are interested in doing repairs and projects over the weekend. Some come for their home, others for auto repair. She notices that the parking lot does have several large grease spots that are left from leaking cars. From downtown Student: Pour oilintothewater. Pour oil into the water.Student:

10. Your Mission Your group should brainstorm which materials you think would make the best filter to get Lake Ulrich’s water back to its original pristine condition. Once you’ve selected your materials, predict which pollutant each layer will filter and record it on the Lake Ulrich Lab Worksheet.

11. Supplies for filter Gravel Cotton Balls Fabric sheets Dryer sheets Plastic wrap Sand Baking Soda Flour Beans Salt Charcoal Coffee Filters Pollutants Dirt Litter Sand Vinegar Detergent Oil