the 1987 fiboatload of knowledgefl - ohio state university

The 1987 "Boatload of Knowledge" — Graduate Environmental Research andEducation on the Ohio River1

WILLIAM J. MiTSCH, GARY W. MULLINS, TERESA M. CAVANAUGH, and RALPH TAYLOR, School of Natural Resources and Ohio River Basin Con-sortium for Research and Education, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, and Department of Biological Sci-ences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701

ABSTRACT. A modern version of the 1826 Boatload of Knowledge journey down the Ohio River was accom-plished in the summer of 1987 with a 965 km, 15-day, graduate education and research trip on the riverfrom Pittsburgh, PA, to Louisville, KY. Nine graduate students from throughout the Ohio River Basin wereinvolved in an educational program that involved individual research projects and project planning and lo-gistics. Eighteen faculty from 11 different colleges and universities and 33 professionals from various agen-cies, industries, and organizations participated in lectures and other presentations for the students along thejourney. A total of 173 people were involved in some aspect of the 15-day trip. Emphasis was on the ecologi-cal and environmental issues of the river and its valley, the historical aspects of human cultures, and the useof natural resources along the river. Research results included two research studies each on the sediment andwater quality of the river along its length, a census on bird populations along the river, and an assessmentof tree damage caused by air pollution in the Ohio Valley. Educational results included a much better un-derstanding of the logistics and advantages of combined research-graduate education field courses along amajor waterway.

OHIO J. SCI. 89 (5): 118-127, 1989

INTRODUCTIONThe Ohio River is one of America's most environmen-

tally and historically significant waterways. Yet, littlehas been done to integrate studies of science and historyof the river. Scientists have studied particular reaches ofthe river and historians understand the history of se-lected settlements along the river. But few efforts havebeen made to study the Ohio as a total system. Becausea river is long and narrow, like a highway, we tend tothink of it only as a conduit rather than as a functionallyconnected system. To understand the cultural develop-ment of the Ohio River Valley and its modern-day threatsof pollution, we must travel its length, observing, mea-suring, and continually asking why and how about every-thing that we see on this watery highway. This was theguiding premise of our trip.

Our idea was a modern version of Robert Owen's1825-26 Boatload of Knowledge (Pitzer 1989), travellingthe length of the Ohio River by a boat-classroom with ahand-picked staff of graduate students/scientists to ob-serve and collect primary data on the Ohio River. Ourexcursion, like the trip 162 years before, would offer aunique opportunity to view the human and ecologicaldiversity of the Ohio River Basin. We were as interestedin determining current environmental conditions as wewere exploring the history of resource use and abusealong the Ohio River (Frost and Mitsch 1989). The on-board classroom would have an everchanging scene as abackdrop as the students would learn first-hand the en-vironmental issues of the river, its historical development,and the continued importance of the river to water sup-ply, navigation, and other human uses.

The Ohio River

The Ohio River Basin is a region of 528,000 km2

(204,000 square miles) covering parts of 14 states. The

'Manuscript received 9 November 1988 and in revised form 30March 1989 (#88-24).

Ohio River itself flows 1,578 km (981 miles) from theconfluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers inPittsburgh, PA, to Cairo, IL, where it joins the Missis-sippi River. Although once free-flowing, the Ohio Riveris now a series of navigational pools formed from the 20locks and dams throughout its length. The river basin'seconomy has had a history of heavy industry. Steel mills,chemical industries, electrical power generation, andcoal mining have formed the economic backbone of theregion. The Ohio River is a major transportation arteryfor coal, petroleum products, minerals, grain, fertilizer,iron ore, iron, and steel.

MATERIALS AND METHODSOur Boatload of Knowledge was planned as a 965 km (600 mile),

15-day graduate course and research excursion down the Ohio Riverduring the summer of 1987 from Pittsburgh, PA, to Louisville, KY(Fig. 1). A group of graduate students from universities throughoutthe Ohio River Basin, accompanied by the authors of this paper,would travel approximately 80 km (50 miles) each day on a house-boat. Graduate credit for participation was given to students throughtheir home institutions. All students were provided with a dailyluncheon and land-based nightly lodging at nearby universities, col-leges, parks and other facilities. The emphasis of the trip was on re-search and graduate education in a unique and stimulating classroomon water.

Course Development

To fulfill the course objectives, topics related to ecological issuesand riverine cultural history were compiled. Emphases were on im-pacts of humans on the river and its valley, as well as the role of theriver in cultural developments. The river was then geographicallydivided into 14 sections (to evenly divide the trip), and the most per-tinent topics within those geographic sectors were chosen for inclu-sion in the curriculum (Fig. 2). The topics were determined by theavailability of resource persons, their relevance to the Boatload ofKnowledge theme, and logistical factors such as food, lodging, and thenumber of locks through which to pass. Even with these mitigat-ing factors, no significant topics were excluded.

One of the most important planning aspects was to assemble a fac-ulty to teach the history and ecology of the Ohio River. Rather thanutilizing only one or two individuals, our approach was to contactmany individuals who would meet with the boat along its route andlecture on predetermined topics. The plan was to minimize the traveldistance of these lecturers, particularly since they would most likelybe more familiar with the river in the vicinity of their communities.

Ohio J. Science THE 1987 "BOATLOAD OF KNOWLEDGE" 119

650 600 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

RIVER MILES BELOW PITTSBURGH

FIGURE 1. Navigational Pools of the Ohio River along route of2987 "Boatload of Knowledge" from Pittsburgh, PA to Louisville, KY(adapted from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers drawing).

ILLINOIS;

FIGURE 2. Topics to Be Covered along 1987 "Boatload of Knowledge"Voyage, with Indication of Approximate Location Where Topic isPresented.

The Boat and Land Transportation

The boat, leased from Marshall University, was a 13 m (43 foot)houseboat (Fig. 3) captained by Professor Ralph Taylor of that uni-versity, who also served as one of the faculty for the Boatload ofKnowledge. The twin-engine vessel provided adequate space for daily

FIGURE 3. House boat used in Boatload of Knowledge trip.

food storage, cooking and refrigeration, storage for water and sedi-ment sampling equipment, a small lounge for lectures/discussion,and deck space for bird-watching, observations, note-taking, andrecreation. It was planned that for the majority of the trip, 15 orfewer persons would be sharing the boat at any one time, thus assur-ing optimum working and personal space for each.

Ground transportation, logistical backup, radio contact (via U.S.Army Corps of Engineers Lock and Dam site equipment) with theboat, food and maintenance service, and speaker transport were pro-vided by a driver and a 15-passenger van. Faculty and graduate asso-ciates of The Ohio State University shared the driving duties.

Student Selection

Nine graduate students were chosen to participate in this Boatloadof Knowledge educational experience based on a variety of criteria. Sixof the students conducted research projects related to the Ohio River,and three students assisted with logistical details of the trip. An at-tempt was made to bring together a group of students representing adiversity of institutions, backgrounds, skills and interests.

Posters were prepared in November 1986, eight months prior tothe voyage, to announce the Boatload of Knowledge course and tostimulate student interest. Posters were distributed to individuals ateach member university and college of the Ohio River Basin Consor-tium for Research and Education (ORBCRE) at the November 1986Annual Meeting of the Consortium in Wheeling, WV, and throughthe mail after that. Students were asked to fill out a card indicatingtheir interest and requesting further information. Approximately 60students responded. These students were sent a complete applicationpackage in February 1987 in which they were asked to propose a re-search project for the trip and indicate why they were interested inthe trip. Graduate student selection for participants in the Boatload ofKnowledge was based on the following criteria: 1) graduate status inan academic institution in the Ohio River Basin, preferably a memberinstitution of the ORBCRE; 2) an interest in pursuing an on-the-river research project which was applicable to the trip and for whichdata collection for the study was feasible on the trip; 3) an academicadvisor at their home institution who was willing to oversee the stu-dent's project; 4) availability of graduate credit for the course fromtheir home institution; and 5) quality and scope of their researchproject proposal.

Care was taken to ensure recruitment of a good representation ofstudents from throughout the Ohio River Basin and from a range ofdisciplines. Scholarships for student participants covered all expensesexcept breakfasts, dinners, and transportation from their home com-munity to Columbus, OH, for the beginning of the trip. Each stu-dent received the Boatload of Knowledge Course Materials, whichincluded copies of handouts for each of the lecturers. They were alsogiven copies of selected publications including The Ohio Valley (Lay-cock and Laycock 1983), pamphlets from some of the industries thatwere to be visited, and maps of the river.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Graduate Education

The academic portion of the Boatload of Knowledge tookplace through formal lectures, demonstrations, and tours

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120 W.J. MITSCH, G. W. MULLINS, T. M. CAVANAUGH, AND R. TAYLOR Vol. 89

for the student participants. Final presentations covereda broad range of ecological and historical/cultural topics(Table 1). Because of our use of the historical name Boat-load of Knowledge, taken from the 1825-26 river trip ofRobert Owen's group of educators, scientists, and Utopi-ans who traveled from Pittsburgh to New Harmony, IN,Professor Donald Pitzer of Southern Indiana Universitywas asked to present, on the first day, a background ofthe Harmonist and Utopian Societies that influenced theoriginal Boatload of Knowledge. Professor Richard Hart-man, of the University of Pittsburgh, then described anoverview of the ecology of the Ohio River. These two pre-sentations provided the basis for studying human impactson the river and the impact of the river on humans.Other speakers were invited to discuss a number of othertopics throughout the trip. Among topics addressedwere water quality, navigation, historical and culturalinfluences, river museums and historical/archaeologicalsites, geology, toxic pollution, riparian vegetation, fishand other aquatic organisms, erosion, acid deposition,and recreation. Although these items were discussed atparticular points as the specific topic of the hour, eachtopic recurred throughout the trip. Thus, like the river,the continuity of topics were ever present.

The settings for the presentations were diverse (Fig. 4).Lectures were often held in the back of the boat as itcruised downstream, but some lectures were in moreformal settings in lecture rooms or halls on campuses.Many demonstrations took advantage of the location.Fish sampling and mussel brailling demonstrations weregiven on the river itself, with student participation. Rivererosion discussion was continuous, as the boat passedmany sites where erosion had been studied by the lec-turer. Formal tours were given of a number of sites in-

TABLE 1.

Topics covered in lectures, tours and demonstrations for participantsin the Boatload of Knowledge on the Ohio River

Ecological

water quality of the Ohio River and its tributarieswater quality continuous samplingecotoxicity testingacid mine drainage in the Ohio River Basinfishes of the Ohio; demonstrations of gill netting and electroshockingdredging (brailling) for musselssediment coring and mutagenicity testingthe river bank erosion problemforest ecosystems of the Ohio River valleygroundwater pollutionhuman health and environmental toxicologylimnology and plankton of the Ohiocase studies of major tributaries-Kanawha and Kentucky Riversgeologic formations-tour of Devonian "Falls of the Ohio"

Historical/Cultural

history of the original Boatload of Knowledgeindustry of the Ohio River Valleytour of chemical plantstour of historic Blennerhasset Islandtour of 19th century Old Economy Villagetour of electric power planttour of air pollution control sulfur scrubbersarchaeological excavation sitehistory of human settlements along the Ohiotour of sewage treatment facilitymuseum tours related to Ohio River historytour of lock and dam on the Ohio/ old lock and dam museum

eluding Old Economy Village, Blennerhasset Island, achemical plant, two power plants, a navigation lock anddam (Hannibal), and a municipal sewage treatment plant.

The quality of the Boatload of Knowledge faculty(Table 2) and students was the reason for the apparentsuccess of the educational aspect of the trip. Formal lec-tures were given by 18 faculty members from 11 univer-sities and colleges (Table 2). Another 30 individualsfrom various state and federal agencies and industriesparticipated in lectures, demonstrations, or tours for thestudents. Many others participated in less formal, butnevertheless important, ways. Several other faculty and/orstudents from West Virginia University, Universityof Kentucky, Marshall University, and University ofCincinnati joined the trip for portions of the journey inresponse to our general invitation in the ORBCREnewsletter to "hop aboard." Overall, 173 names appearedon the boat log as having taken part in some aspect ofthe trip.

Research

One of the primary goals of the Boatload of Knowledgewas to encourage student-initiated research on environ-mental issues related to the Ohio River. Six graduatestudents representing five universities in the Ohio RiverBasin Consortium were involved in research along theBoatload journey (Fig. 5). The projects ranged from waterand sediment sampling of the Ohio River to a bird cen-sus along the length of the Ohio River. A summary ofpreliminary results of each research project, presented ina final report (Mitsch and Mullins 1988), is given here.

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN O H I ORIVER SEDIMENTS (James Fath, Miami University) —Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a large classof organic carbons indicative of oil spills, industrial ac-tivity, fossil fuel combustion, and other human activity.Sediment samples were taken with an Ekman dredgenear industrial sources and behind navigation damsalong the Ohio River from Chester, WV, to Louisville,KY. Samples were then extracted and analyzed withhigh performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pre-liminary data indicate some PAH contamination behindfour of the navigation dams.

METALS IN OHIO RIVER SEDIMENTS (John Youger,The Ohio State University) — Sediment samples werecollected with an Ekman dredge from the boat at 11sites along the river between Pittsburgh and Louisville,primarily from sites upstream of navigation dams. Sedi-ment samples were subsequently analyzed in the labora-tory by atomic adsorption for barium, cadmium, chro-mium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc.Metal concentrations were found to decrease from up-stream to downstream sites, especially for cadmium, chro-mium, and zinc and were found to be somewhat lowerthan concentrations measured by the Ohio River ValleyWater Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) in 1977 atseveral sites (Youger and Mitsch 1989).

TRIBUTARY ELEMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO O H I ORlVER (Jan Handke, University of Cincinnati) — Watersamples were collected upstream and downstream of theconfluence of several tributaries on the Ohio River. ASargeant sampler was used for grab sample collection,and samples were filtered with a 0.45^tm membrane fil-

Ohio J . Science THE 1987 "BOATLOAD OF KNOWLEDGE" 121

t

(c) (d)

FIGURE 4. Lectures and presentations took place on the Boatload of Knowledge in many locations including a) in the cabin of the boat; b) on theshore; c) at field demonstrations; and d) as tours of facilities.

ter to separate suspended solids. Comprehensive elemen-tal analysis is being done by simultaneous inductivelycoupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Data willbe analyzed by comparing the upstream and downstreamsamples at each tributary for 34 elements to determinethe additional elemental burden to the Ohio River con-tributed by each tributary. The results of this assess-ment, incomplete up to now, will be compared withhistorical data from the ORSANCO monitoring pro-gram to determine if additional monitoring is suggestedfor particular elements.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILES (Joseph P. Wellner,Jr., University of Kentucky) — Dissolved oxygen con-centrations were measured downstream of three naviga-tion dams and in the vicinity of six municipal dischargesalong the Ohio River. No discernable oxygen sags werenoted downstream of the municipal discharges, and aslight increase was noted downstream of Cincinnati'smunicipal discharge. Measurements of dissolved oxygenupstream and downstream of the navigation dam did notsupport the hypothesis that the dams served as aeratingsystems for the Ohio River (Wellner and Dinger 1989).

122 W. J. MITSCH, G. W. MULLINS, T. M. CAVANAUGH, AND R. TAYLOR Vol. 89

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FIGURE 5. Research on the Boatload of Knowledge involved a) sediment sampling; b) water sampling and analysis; c) examination of terrestrialvegetation for air pollution damage; and d) bird census.

VEGETATION DAMAGE FROM A I R POLLUTION (San- foliar damage whenever it was possible to disembarkgita Patel, The Ohio State University) — Terrestrial from the boat. Photographic records of damage, identi-vegetation was sampled and examined for evidence of fication of pollution injury, and mapping of possible


sources and damage were also recorded. The data gavepreliminary indication of sulfur dioxide injury nearpower plants and fluoride injury near chemical plants.

BIRDS OF THE OHIO RIVER (David Todt, ShawneeState University) — Birds were censused along the OhioRiver from Pittsburgh to Louisville to investigate changesin species and diversity along the river corridor and toinvestigate the possibility of using such information asan indicator of environmental quality. Most of the stu-dents on the Boatload also participated in this count.Counts and diversity were found to be different alongthe river corridor and were compared with historicalrecords (Todt 1989).

Time and College Credit

Each student spent a total of 80 hours at formal pre-sentations in the course and 20 to 40 hours on researchduring the boat trip. The rest of the time was spenton land transportation to and from demonstrations(10 hours), informal discussions and free time (55 hours),and lunches (15 hours). This amount of formal educa-tional and research time meant that days started early(usually on the boat by 8:00 A.M.) and ended late (usu-ally between 8:00 and 10:00 P.M.). The total academictime of approximately 100 to 120 hours is equivalent toabout 5 to 6 quarter hours or 4 to 5 semester hours ofcredit. Sample analysis, data reduction, and report-writing by the graduate students after the trip wereequivalent to several more hours of credit. Students wererequired to take credit hours under their faculty advisorat their home institution, with credit hours generallyranging from 4 to 6 quarter hours equivalent. It appearsthat slightly more hours, perhaps 7 to 8 quarter hours,would have been the appropriate academic credit for ac-tive participation in the Boatload of Knowledge.

Perspectives of the Ohio River

The Ohio River as a classroom of water provided anunusual opportunity to see the Ohio River Valley fromboth ecological and historical perspectives. At times,the ecology dominated; at other times, the culture andhistory dominated. When they overlapped, as with theexample of abandoned button factories which utilizedriver mussels, the importance of a resource such as theOhio River was well-illustrated.

ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. The Ohio River must beregarded as a system in order to understand it properlyand to consider the myriad of environmental issues thatimpact the river on a continual basis. The course pro-vided background on almost every aspect of the river.There were demonstrations of water quality sampling,laboratory methodologies, toxicity studies, sedimentsampling, human health implications of drinking water,and even a lecture on risk assessment. The studentslearned about the fish and benthic fauna of the riverfrom experts who investigate those subjects almost daily.There were also lectures and discussion of issues such asacid mine drainage, river bank erosion, and groundwaterpollution. Effects of acidic deposition and other humanactivities on terrestrial systems were discussed, and thesources of some air pollution problems — power plants —

were visited to see how they work and how they are fac-ing these environmental issues. Case studies of theKanawha River and the Kentucky River Basin added re-ality to the systems view that the Ohio River is a func-tion of its watershed. Finally, a tour of the Devonian"Falls of the Ohio" at Louisville put the river into acompletely different perspective — its geological history.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES. Thehuman history of the Ohio River was evident, and attimes overpowering, along the trip (Fig. 6). The groupstopped at Old Economy Village, a southwestern Penn-sylvania town, now restored, where the original Boatloadof Knowledge stopped 162 years before. The stop atBlennerhasset Island near Parkersburg, WV, gave avivid picture of the river and its life during the excitingdays of Westward expansion following the AmericanRevolution, and of the setting where Aaron Burr pur-portedly conspired against his new nation. The boatlanded in Point Pleasant, WV, the site of Chief Corn-stalk's reign and an early battle of the American Revo-lution involving English-supported American Indians.Students also viewed archaeological excavations of sitesby the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers near the GallipolisLocks and Dam, where artifacts and settlements from200 BC to 1100 AD have been uncovered. There wereconstant reminders of the Twentieth-Century history ofthe Ohio River, particularly of the rise and fall of steeland other industries and the pollution they left behind.Visits to the chemical industries along the Ohio andKanawha Rivers showed another industry that has hadgreat economic and environmental significance to thepeople along the Ohio River. The students were im-pressed as they heard about one industry after anotherin the river valley that depended on, and sometimes de-pleted, resources such as forests, oil, mussels (for but-tons), limestone, and the ever-present coal, which nowfuels over 35,000 megawatts of electricity along theriver. The students also sensed a renaissance in manyriver cities and towns as the water became cleaner, thefish returned, and buildings once again faced toward theriver rather than away from the once highly pollutedcorridor. The river is now less of a sewer and more of ahighway. Ohio River festivals are again plentiful alongthis "Rhine of North America."

Surprises and Other Delights

There were countless surprises, mostly pleasant, asthe boat journeyed down the Ohio River. On numerousoccasions, people assembled at the boat dock to greetthe boat, having heard through articles in the paper orthrough word of mouth about the Boatload of Knowledge.The welcomes were particularly warm in the smalltowns of Ravenswood, WV, Portsmouth, OH, andMaysville, KY. In Ravenswood, many townspeople es-corted the boat to dock with motor boats and providedfree dinner and breakfast at a local restaurant. In Ports-mouth, the local people provided housing for the groupof faculty and students in their private homes and weregenuinely interested in our experiences. Several of thecitizens of Maysville, including the mayor, turned out togreet the arrival of the boat and led us on tours of someof the historic sites of the city. Wherever the boat docked,


(a) (b)

(c) (d)

FIGURE 6. There are many historical sites along the Ohio River, including a) Old Economy Village, PA; b) Blennerhasset Mansion and Island,WV; c) restored riverfront village of Augusta, KY; d) suspension bridge in Cincinnati, OH.

there were always individuals who were helpful well be-yond the expected. The trip seemed to catch their imagi-nation (many expressed the wish that they could takesuch a journey) and made them feel proud of their OhioRiver heritage.

The Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District and theLouisville Gas and Electric Company sponsored a finalcelebration banquet for the Boatload of Knowledge partici-pants in Louisville on the evening of our arrival there.Approximately 40 people attended the banquet, includ-ing the students and organizers, representatives of in-dustries and universities, some of the Boatload faculty,and interested supporters. Speeches were made and cer-tificates distributed to the students in testimony of theircompletion of the historic voyage.

Press and Public Relations

Another pleasant surprise of the adventure was thepress coverage that resulted from the trip. At least 11newspaper articles were written about the Boatload, and50 or more radio inquiries were made to The Ohio StateUniversity about the trip. Film crews from The OhioState University, Steubenville, OH, Wheeling, WV,Huntington, WV, and Cincinnati, OH, spent timeaboard and developed spots for news programs. JohnFleischman of Ohio Magazine spent six days with thevoyage to develop an article on the Ohio River in that

magazine. The March 1988 issue of Ohio 21, a maga-zine published by The Ohio State University College ofAgriculture for alumni and friends, featured an articleabout the Boatload of Knowledge (Kauffeld 1988). The ar-ticle, titled Take Me to the River, included five pagesof text and nine photographs taken by participants inthe Boatload of Knowledge. A one-minute spot on theBoatload of Knowledge was developed and aired on publictelevision stations in Ohio during half-time for The OhioState University vs. West Virginia University game inSeptember 1987.

CONCLUSIONSThere has been much interest in directing the Boat-

load of Knowledge again, perhaps on an annual basis.Ideas for the Boatload of Knowledge could include not onlyoffering the course for college students, but also highschool students, lawyers, businessmen, legislators, andgovernment officials in the region. In order to have theBoatload on an annual basis, a secure source of fundingwould be required. Also, a boat more suitable for largegroups and equipped with research facilities would benecessary. Nevertheless, efforts have been made and willcontinue to be made through the ORBCRE and its mem-ber universities to continue the Boatload of Knowledge.

The evolution and development of the Boatload ofKnowledge project afforded the organizers an excellent


opportunity to experience firsthand the interaction oflogistics, education, and research. A river trip of thislength and logistical complexity provided a challenge.Combining an ongoing graduate-level academic coursewith a major research effort required extensive organiza-tion and attention to deail. The Boatload of Knowledgeproved to be an excellent educational and research op-portunity for all participants. Logistics, curriculum, andrecruitment exceeded the expectations of the organizers.The research accomplished on this trip has served twopurposes: 1) some of it (Todt 1989; Youger and Mitsch1989; Wellner and Dinger 1989) has been published inthe open literature for the benefit of future research onthese topics; and 2) all of it encouraged the young re-searchers to a better understanding of the approaches,benefits, and pitfalls of field research. By maintainingan optimal number of quality students, an extensive andknowledgeable faculty, and numerous hosts and tourleaders spaced equally over 15 days, and by having well-planned ground and water transportation and supportservices, the trip was most successful. Although plannedprimarily for the graduate students, all individuals whoparticipated obtained a new perspective on the impor-tance of the river. Awareness is a key to successful edu-cation. All indications are that the Boatload of Knowledgeheightened awareness of countless people of the OhioRiver — from university football spectators who saw ahalf-time highlight of the trip on television to a Ken-tucky riverbank fisherman who commented that he hadnever thought about the river as a teacher.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The Boatload of Knowledge was successful be-cause of the support of a great many people. Special recognition forhelp in early development of the project must be given to Mr. Sher-

man "Jack" Frost of The Ohio State University, who suggested theidea of a "river school" and to Dr. Charles King of The Ohio Biologi-cal Survey, who suggested adding the historical context of the origi-nal Boatload of Knowledge. Siobhan Fennessy served tirelessly as agraduate associate on the project, taking care of details that werenecessary to make the trip so successful. Judy Kauffeld, editor for theSchool of Natural Resources, was particularly helpful in desk-toppublishing and publicizing the voyage. The trip was made possibleby a grant from the Virginia Environmental Endowment (Gerald P.McCarthy, Director). Additional support was contributed by TheOhio State University's School of Natural Resources, OARDC, andthe Ohio River Basin Consortium for Research and Education. Use-ful comments were provided by two anonymous reviewers, the editorof the journal, and Ruthmarie H. Mitsch. OARDC ManuscriptNumber 98-89-

LITERATURE CITEDFrost, S. L. and W. J. Mitsch 1989 Resource Development and

Conservation History Along the Ohio River. Ohio J. Sci. 89:143-152.

Kauffeld, J. 1988 Take me to the river. Ohio 21 2(1): 15-19.Laycock, G. and E. Laycock 1983 The Ohio Valley. Doubleday &

Company, Inc., Garden City, NY. 388 p.Mitsch, W. J. and G. A. Mullins 1988 "The Boatload of Knowl-

edge" Final Report to Virginia Environmental Endowment, Rich-mond, Virginia. School of Natural Resources, The Ohio StateUniversity, Columbus.

Pitzer, D. E. 1989 The Original Boatload of Knowledge Downthe Ohio River: William Maclure's and Robert Owen's Transfer ofScience and Education to the Midwest, 1825-1826. Ohio J. Sci.89: 128-142.

Todt, D. E. 1989 Birds in the Ohio River Valley: Possible Indi-cators of Environmental Quality. Ohio J. Sci. 89: 192-195.

Wellner, J. P., Jr. and J. S. Dinger 1989 Dissolved Oxygen Pro-files at Major Wastewater Discharges and Hydroelectric Dams onthe Ohio River. Ohio J. Sci. 89: 164-171.

Youger, J. and W. J. Mitsch 1989 Heavy Metal Concentrationsin Ohio River Sediments — Longitudinal and Temporal Patterns.OhioJ. Sci. 89: 172-175.

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