Sweeney Elementary's Community Built Wetlands

     Sweeney Elementary School in Santa Fe, NM, students and the Sweeney community conceived, planned, and built a three stage storm water purification system to clean hydrocarbons out of the teacher's parking lot rainwater run-off. The whole project stemmed from two community questions: Why were there no fish in the Santa Fe River below the waste treatment plant? and Why were there nitrates in wells in the river-basin area? To gather basic data, we monitored the river monthly and analyzed wells in our area for nitrates. While searching for answers to our questions, we found out that wetlands clean polluted water.

     We decided to build a model system to show governmental water officials. We began digging the system by hand. Two weeks later, we figured out it would take 2 1/2 years to complete if we continued that way. We found parents and community people to help us with backhoes and materials. Six months later and after over $15,000 in materials and labor had been donated by the community, we had our three stage system complete with a sedimentation basin, 8 ton rock filter, constructed wetlands, pond, overflow ditches, and native trees-shrubs-plants to attract wildlife. By the end of the first year 131 businesses, 106 families, and 185 students had made our wetlands a work of love.

     At the end of the year we showed city, state, federal and county water officials our outdoor classroom, our river monitoring information, and conclusions that the Santa Fe River needed a wetlands. After searching for two years, we found an individual that donated 8 river side acres to a children's non-profit. That area is now a learning center for river restoration for hundreds of Santa Fe students. The power of students is formidable!!