Water Watch sounds a little bland on first reference, but the students who participate in this project do far more than what the name implies. 

According to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the waters in this state are important commodities, and constant surveillance is needed to ensure both the beauty and the quality of those waters.

Since there is a great amount of water in Oklahoma, keeping an eye on the water is a difficult task. To deal with this problem the Water Resources Board created Water Watch, a program designed to help the OWRB accumulate data to give water resources the proper supervision and protection they need. 

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board laid out several goals for the program. It's designed to collect data, identify potential problems, map trends in water quality, promote citizen participation and educate the public on aspects of water resources.

David Lewis, Environmental Science Club adviser, said the Water Watch program at OSU is a service project run by the students. It is all voluntary, and the students who participate must be certified to conduct tests. There are also specific dates and times when these tests must be done. These times cannot be altered, so rain or shine there is someone doing the work. 

"The Water Watch program offers volunteers from the Environmental Science Club an opportunity to develop the skills associated with the measurement of water quality," Lewis said. "The schedule of regular measurements also provides an opportunity for the student volunteers to interpret the results of their measurements."

To monitor the water quality consistently, the students return to the same dock once a month to collect samples and run tests. They begin by filling a bucket with water. They take samples from this bucket to test such things as pH and sediment content. 

All of this is recorded and sent to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for analysis. This allows students to consistently monitor the water quality and detect any potential problems that might arise.

If something is wrong with the water, it is red flagged. When this occurs, warnings are issued and signs are put up to inform visitors there is a problem with the water. 

Aubrey Eastman, Environmental Science Club president, said there has not been a red flag incident since the Water Watch program was implemented at Lake Carl Blackwell. 

Andrew Welch, environmental science senior, said the club is offering a service to all who like to enjoy the water by giving much needed attention to a body of water that might otherwise be overlooked.

"We give the Water Resources Board a baseline, so if there is a variance, it lets them know that something is wrong," said Welch. 

"We are doing this to help our environment and our community," said Eastman.

Water Watch gives students the chance to experience what it would be like to work in a particular field.

"This is what most of us will be doing after school," Eastman said. "It gives us an opportunity to start early and gives us a chance to see how a body of water changes over time." 

"It gives us valuable field work experience while we're still in college," said Welch. 

Before conducting tests, the students involved must be certified. They are required to take part in a training course offered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. They must then pass a written exam to be certified for one year, Eastman said.

Once they actually arrive on the scene, it doesn't take the students long to get down to business. 

"The testing usually takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour," Eastman said. "If it's cold outside, we don't visit as much and finish faster."

It may not be glamorous, and at times it's even miserable, but next time you're taking the plunge with your polar bear friends, remember there are people who care enough to make sure it's safe to swim in the water.