Lodi Adventist Elementary School: Lodi, California, USA

Hello from Lodi, California:

I am an eighth grade student at Lodi Adventist Elementary School. Our school is located in the heart of the rich agricultural San Joaquin Valley. We are on the eastern margin of the California Delta. To the east about 50 miles lies the Sierra Nevada, about 75 miles to the west lies San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean. Because of our near perfect climate and long growing season we are one of the biggest agricultural producers in the world.

Our school campus has both an elementary school and a high school. The elementary school has an enrollment of about 260 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The high school is made up of students from grade 9-12 and has an enrollment of about 130 students. Most of the students come from Lodi and surrounding communities, Galt, Stockton, and Lockeford. Some students however live forty miles to the north in Sacramento, our state Capital.

This project is of particular interest to us because of the many rivers and waterways that feed into the Pacific Ocean through the California Delta. The San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers are important shipping lanes. Cargo ships come into the Port of Stockton about 15 miles south of our school to load grain and other agricultural products. Like so many other places the water quality in our area is decreasing. Pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals used to insure good crops find their way into the water flowing toward the ocean. In addition to the pollution there is the problem of water from the Delta being diverted to the south. The declining water quality and water levels pose many problems for native and migratory animals. Because the Delta is a popular place for boating, swimming, fishing, and other forms of water recreation these conditions are posing a human health problem as well.

We are looking forward to participating in this water sampling project.

Alan Dowden, 8th Grade Student
Lodi Adventist Elementary School
1240 S. Central Ave.
Lodi, CA 95240

E-mail: djwyrick@lodinet.com