Water Day

An exploration of our watershed through science, art, history, and hands-on learning.

Water Day is a free, family-friendly event focused on understanding and celebrating our watershed through science, art and hands-on learning. Taking place during Earth Week, the event is designed to celebrate and explore the interconnected systems that shape our local water—and the culture that flows from it—through talks, demonstrations, tours, workshops and interactive exhibits.

There will be demonstrations, workshops, a laboratory tour, an art show and numerous interactive exhibits throughout the afternoon, followed by a series of talks into the evening. Come and go as you please or join us for the full day of learning, connection and creativity.

Schedule & Offerings*

• Tour of the CTUIR Freshwater Mussel and Lamprey Lab
  12pm - 1pm
  Started in 2013, the Freshwater Mussel Research and Restoration Project laboratory seeks to return self-sustaining freshwater mussel and lamprey eel populations to ceded areas to restore harvest opportunities for traditional Tribal use and education, and to restore aquatic ecosystem function for the benefit of all organisms as part of a holistic approach to watershed restoration and management. Due to limited space, 15-minute tours will be limited to 10 people at a time on a first-come basis.
• Mokuhanga, a water-based Japanese printmaking technique
  Demonstrations: 1pm & 3pm
  Hands-on project: 1:30pm & 3:30pm
  Join the local nonprofit Mokuhanga Project Space to learn and experience traditional Japanese printmaking techniques with renowned artists.
• Stream Table Demonstrations and Interactive Water Exhibits
  12pm - 4pm
  Learn and play with a stream table illustrating hydrology and erosion processes and a variety of other educational water exhibits graciously provided by the Water and Environmental Center and Oregon Water Resources Department.
• Community Science Fieldwork Training
  2pm
  Experience science in action as we learn how to place, monitor and track water temperature probes for an upcoming community science project. We'll step out into the field and see what real science is all about: measurement, experimental design and data integrity.
• Watercolor Art Exhibit
  All day
  Explore original artwork by lifelong watercolor painter Bob H-P celebrating the beauty and atmosphere of forests, streams and lakes.
• Tables for Local Organizations and Projects
  All day
  Connect with other water-related community groups and learn about all things water that are happening here in the Walla Walla valley.

• Remembering the Flood of 1996 with Bob Carson
  4:30pm
  Join renowned geologist Bob Carson for a journey through remarkable images and lessons from one of Walla Walla's most historic floods.
• The Largley Unseen Flora of Mill Creek with John Wakeman
  5:15pm
  Discover a whole world in a drop of water with local freshwater microflora expert John Wakeman. Our streams and rivers host a large array of algae and higher plants, that form the basis for the food web for fish, birds, and also ourselves. These plants are also critical to understanding effects of climate change. We will discuss the microscopic flora and seasonal and climatic changes.
• Fungi, Forests and the Biology of the Water Cycle with Paul Lynn
  6pm
  Did you know that mushrooms create rainfall? Join local mycologist Paul Lynn for a look at the fascinating ways that forests and fungi work together with marine ecosystems to anchor climate and cycle water, both locally and globally.

Water Day aims to be educational, collaborative, and accessible to the broader community. Our goal is to create a shared understanding of water systems — ecological, geological, atmospheric and cultural.