Brook Trout Brought to New Home in Mill Brook

King Middle School 7th graders received ~350 brook trout eggs in early February along with three lessons from Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District to start their learning on water quality. These lessons introduced them to what water quality parameters classify water as healthy, which pollutants have the most harm on water quality, and trout life cycle.

In early May, students made the journey to Mill Brook in Westbrook to study the health of the brook and ensure it would be a suitable habitat for their trout. They conducted a macroinvertebrate study, measured the pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature, and explored the stream's habitat- both in and around the stream. Looking at their data, they concluded this brook would indeed offer their trout the cold, clear, oxygen rich water water they need to give them their best chance at survival.

Students releasing brook trout.

Macroinvertebrates in Mill Brook