Loving Water

Anna’s water samples.

As part of her Brownie work this summer, Anna is taking the Wonders of Water journey. I’ve already written about our Oregon Coast Trip (Parts One, Two, Three, and Four) on this blog. Now I want to share how Anna completed the first part of her journey by following water of the Willamette River from one of its sources in the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, collecting samples at four specific points along the way, and tracing the journey of a single water drop from a raincloud over Waldo Lake to a beach on the North Coast.

Step One: Source. Waldo Lake, the source of the North Fork of the Willamette.

Waldo Lake Water

Step Two: River. The Willamette River at River Road in Eugene just before it meets the MacKenzie.

Willamette River Water

Step Three: Estuary. The Columbia River at Astoria, where the river and maritime environments meet.

Columbia Estuary Water

Step Four: Ocean. Hug Point Beach, on the North Coast., and a tiny sample from the earth’s largest ocean.

Ocean water

After completing her water collection, Anna traced the path of her hypothetical water drop on this map.

Oregon Rivers Map

Starting at Waldo Lake, Anna traced a line in blue highlighter following the North Fork of the Willamette to where it meets the Middle Fork outside Oakridge, then following the Willamette through from Eugene to Portland where it empties into the Columbia, and then down the Columbia River, into the Columbia Estuary, and the Pacific Ocean.

It was like tracing a maze. She got off-course a couple of times, but I told her that it was okay. She had just traced some of the other tributaries of the river. All the water flows to the same place, after all.

Her map complete, she is now through the first part of her WOW journey: “Love Water.” Next comes her “Save Water” project, and she already has a great idea for it.

Stay tuned …