Thanks to equipment recently installed on the bank of Frank Creek, below, Environmental Science students at Tusculum College this fall will have a hands-on opportunity to learn to operate modern stormwater monitoring equipment, a skill expected to be increasingly in demand in coming years.

Part of Frank Creek runs through the campus near the Doak House Museum.

Through resources provided by the college's Class of 1937 and the support of three companies involved in aspects of water quality and monitoring, equipment is now in place that will provide Environmental Science students with hands-on experience in operating the highly specialized equipment. The equipment is similar to that which Tennessee municipalities will be required by law to put into use within the next few years, said Dan Barnett, associate professor of chemistry at Tusculum College.

Through the support of Kazmier and Associates of Lenoir City,Tenn., the Hydrolab Corporation of Austin, Texas, and Isco, Inc., of Lincoln, Neb., Tusculum College was able to obtain the equipment for about $6,000, though on the commercial market the equipment would have cost about $16,000, Barnett said.

The college also saved on installation costs through the work of Dr. Bob Davis, professor of biology at Tusculum College, who donated his time to design and built the station that houses the equipment.

Davis installed the probes for the system in the spring with the help of then-senior Sarah McGar, an environmental science major from Modesto, Calif. McGar graduated from Tusculum in May. Her work on installing the probes and learning to use the monitoring equipment was her senior project.

Tim Kazmier of Kazmier and Associates visited the campus in the spring to help introduce environmental science students to the use of the equipment.

Barnett said the college, and particularly its Environmental Science faculty and students, are deeply appreciative of all those who made the new equipment possible for Tusculum. The skills learned by students operating the equipment will be increasingly in demand as time goes by, he noted.

Dr. Dolphus E. Henry, president of the college, said, "This new equipment allows Tusculum College to provide a very specialized and important type of training to our students in environmental science. We extend our sincere thanks to all the individuals and companies who made this possible for our students."