Students hold class on the East Fork's bank

Ninth-grader Bryce Farrell was the teacher at the benthic macroinvertebrate station and had just led a group of fourth graders from the river.

"Does anyone know what the only fresh water lake is around here with leeches in it?" said Bryce.

"I do, I do. Spooner Lake," said Meneley Elementary School teacher Kristy Reck.

Bryce showed his students how to look through microscopes at what was captured from the algae in the river water.

"That's disgusting," said Linnea Shaw, 9, after seeing a close-up of an invertebrate creature swept up from the bottom of the Carson River.

Twenty Sierra Crest Academy students were teachers to about 60 Meneley students and the lessons were about river conservation during Conserve the Carson River Work Days on Oct. 17.

Park Cattle Company allowed the use of their land on the site of the old Dangberg Ranch on the banks of the East Fork of the Carson River.

Linda Conlin, watershed educational coordinator of the River Wranglers, trained the Sierra Crest students to teach the elementary students for the annual event.

"What they learn at the river is what they're learning in school," said Conlin. "The fourth graders are studying Nevada history and so much of this ties in with Nevada history."

At the bioengineering station, Paul Pugsley from the Carson Valley Conservation District, was demonstrating ways to stabilize a riverbank using plant material.

"We're showing the kids the technique with willows," Pugsley said. "Willows are like a plant cutting in a house - keep the stem moist and covered with dirt and it will root."

Fourth-grade student Tierney Kizer learned about the Carson River watershed.

"It starts at the mountains, makes the river and ends at Carson Sink," Tierney said. "I'm glad they got porta-potties out here."

The students visited stations in their alluvial classroom for several hours and were treated to a lunch of hot dogs provided by Raley's, grilled on site by members of the Lions Club with desserts and chips provided by the Soroptimists.

The nonprofit environmental group River Wranglers teaches students to test water quality, build habitat for wildlife and learn about erosion control.

"We teach students to conserve, explore and celebrate Nevada rivers," said Conlin.