EPA Brings Earth Education to Woodson Primary and Jones Elementary (Video)

by James Malone, APS Office of Communications

The research group travels around the country collecting and testing the soil in various locations to see whether green infrastructure projects would be suitable in areas where flooding threatens public safety and private property.

Earlier this month, the students at Carter G. Woodson Primary School and M. Agnes Jones Elementary were visited by scientists from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a part of the agency’s analysis on urban flood plains and the impact of water run-off on plant and vegetation. Atlanta is the 11th city to be a part of the national research and was chosen particularly because of the soils in the area near Proctor Creek.

Students looked at soil samples and learned about water run-off impact and the effort of erosion on food production and our ability to have quality residential and commercial development. Students at both schools met with the EPA scientists and discussed the work being done in Atlanta.

“We are looking at urban soils – something that has never been done in this country – because we think urban soils and the plants they support can create green infrastructure to help us manage storm water run-off in communities,” Dr. Bill Shuster, research hydrologist, EPA region IV scientist. “We can do things in communities to create a better overall environment, and control our storm water runoff, so we are not getting storm flooding and combined sewer overflows in our communities. We want the students to know this.”