Water Quality Awareness
Demonstrate how biological response can complement chemical test strips and lab values by showing how life actually performs in a water sample.
Freshwater ecology • biomonitoring • public health
A public science project using Daphnia to help interpret water quality in ways people can understand.
Daphnia Project connects aquatic ecology with everyday human health by exploring how sensitive freshwater organisms respond to changing water conditions, contaminants, and environmental stress.
The goal is not just to collect data. It is to create a clear, educational bridge between pond ecology, drinking water awareness, and community understanding of why water quality matters.
Mission
Making water quality visible through living indicators
Daphnia Project is built around a simple public idea: if delicate aquatic organisms struggle in a water source, that water deserves closer attention.
Public Health Interpretation
Frame freshwater quality as a human issue, not just a wildlife issue, especially where drinking water, recreation, and local stewardship overlap.
Community Education
Support classes, Master Naturalist programming, and outreach events with a memorable demonstration model rooted in observation and curiosity.
Explore
What the site covers
About the Project
Learn the mission, framing, and long-term vision for Daphnia Project.
Visit About →Method
See how water samples, observation, and interpretation fit into a practical model.
Visit Method →Human Health
Understand the connection between aquatic stress and community wellbeing.
Visit Health →Education
Explore its fit for Kansas Master Naturalist, outreach, and citizen science.
Visit Education →Build the project with us
Help shape methods, outreach materials, field observations, and the long-term public science vision for the site.