High school students in Dan Harrington's Environmental Science class learned about water quality through WRWA's Adopt-a-Watershed program. During their first lesson, students focused on how pollution affects the rivers, streams, and groundwater in Westport. Students worked with an interactive Watershed model, and learned how rainwater runs off the land throughout Westport. They also worked with a groundwater model, and learned how pollution is carried through underground through the water.

During the second lesson, students examined water samples for small insects called macroinvertebrates. In each sample, students identified and counted the species they found. Macroinvertebrates include creatures like dragonfly nymphs, fly larvae, leeches, salamanders, and water pennies. Students were able to assess the health of the brook based on the amount of sensitive creatures they recorded. To finish the lessons students headed to Kirby Brook to conduct a stream survey. Students geared up in boots and waders and recorded observations and collected samples of the water. They tested for pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, turbidity, and assessed the health and cleanliness of the water.

This program is part of the Watershed Education Program. Each year students from PreK to High School learn about different aspects of their watershed. The Westport River Watershed Alliance provides the program as a compliment to the science curriculum each grade is covering for the year. It provides a hands-on way for students to not only learn science, but also about the habitats that are in their own backyards.

WRWA's mission is to restore, protect, celebrate, and sustain the natural resources of the Westport River and its watershed which encompasses six towns: Dartmouth, Fall River, Freetown, and Westport in Massachusetts, and Little Compton and Tiverton in Rhode Island. WRWA accomplishes its goal of protecting the watershed through education, advocacy, and community outreach.