Boy Scouts Of America 

TROOP 1333

BOY SCOUTING
Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of the BSA, is available to boys who have earned the Arrow of Light Award and are at least 10 years old or have completed the fifth grade and are at least 10, or who are 11, but not yet 18 years old. The program achieves the BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness.

Phoenix District

Gold Star Award

2007

2008

2009

2010

Scoutmaster

Webmaster

Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board

1. Do the following:

   1. Tell what soil is. Tell how it is formed.

       

      What is Soil?  Texas Farm Bureau

       

   2. Describe three kinds of soil. Tell how they are different.

       

      What is Soil?  Texas Farm Bureau

       

   3. Name the three main plant nutrients in fertile soil. Tell how they can be put back when used up.

       

      Organic Matter in Soil  United States Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service

       

2. Do the following:

   1. Define soil erosion.

       

               Soil: Erosion and Conservation

    

               What is Soil?  Texas Farm Bureau

    

   1. Tell why soil conservation is important. Tell how it affects you.

   2. Name three kinds of soil erosion. Describe each.

       

      What is Soil?  Texas Farm Bureau

       

   3. Take pictures of or draw two kinds of soil erosion.

       

3. Do the following:
   1. Tell what is meant by "conservation practices".

   2. Describe the effect of three kinds of erosion-control practices.

       

      Keeping Soil in Its Place: A Presentation on Erosion and Sediment Control

      Slideshow from the Center for Watershed Protection

       

   3. Take pictures of or draw three kinds of erosion-control practices.

       

       

4. Do the following:

   1. Explain what a watershed is.

       

      Why Watersheds?

      Slideshow on watersheds from the Center for Watershed Protection

       

      Watersheds - US EPA

       

      Online Training in Watershed Management  US EPA

       

      Buffalo- San Jacinto Watershed Profile  US EPA

       

      Spring Watershed Profile  US EPA

       

   2. Outline the smallest watershed that you can find on a contour map.

   3. Outline, as far as the map will allow, the next larger watershed which also has the smaller one in it.

   4. Explain what a river basin is. Tell why all people living in a river basin should be concerned about land and water use in the basin.

       

5. Do the following:

   1. Make a drawing to show the hydrologic cycle.

    

              

                          

               Texas Water Resources Education

              

               The Water Cycle

              

              

   

   The Water Cycle

   US Geological Survey

2. Demonstrate at least two of the following actions of water in relation to the soil: percolation, capillary action, precipitation, evaporation, transpiration.

    

   Precipitation - US Geological Survey

   Evaporation - US Geological Survey

   Transpiration - US Geological Survey

    

3. Explain how removal of vegetation will affect the way water runs off a watershed.
4. Tell how uses of forest, range, and farmland affect usable water supply.
5. Explain how industrial use affects water supply.

6. Do the following:

   1. Tell what is meant by "water pollution".

       

      Watersheds  US EPA

       

   2. Describe common sources of water pollution and explain the effects of each.

   3. Tell what is meant by "primary water treatment," "secondary waste treatment," and "biochemical oxygen demand."

      Wastewater Treatment - definitions and graphics of the wastewater treatment process

      

      A Visit to a Wastewater-Treatment Plant: Primary Treatment of Wastewater

      USGS - Water Science for Schools

       

      Go with the Flow - Water Environment Federation

      Be in the Know...Go With the Flow is a map that allows the water curious to walk step-by-step through the wastewater treatment process. The Clean Water Plant has been divided into 15 components represented by icons. When clicked on, each component's icon comes up with a one paragraph, non-technical narrative description. Viewers can follow the path step-by-step, or jump around to locate a particular area of interest.
      
      Please Note: To view Go With the Flow, you must have Adobe Flash Player installed.  If your web browser does not prompt you to install the file, you can download it here for free.

   4. Make a drawing showing the principles of complete waste treatment.

       

7. Do TWO of the following:

   1. Make a trip to two of the following places. Write a report of more than 500 words about the soil and water and energy conservation practices you saw.
      1. An agricultural experiment.

      2. A managed forest or a woodlot, range, or pasture.

          

         Texas Forest Service

             Houston Office contacts

          

      3. A wildlife refuge or a fish or game management area.

         

         Texas National Wildlife Refuges

         Attwater Prarie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge – Eagle Lake, Texas

         

         Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge – Anahuac, Texas

         Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge – Brazoria, Texas

         Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge – Angleton, Texas

         San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge – Sargeant, Texas

         

       

      4. A conservation-managed farm or ranch.
      5. A managed watershed.

      6. A waste-treatment plant.

         North Harris County Regional Water Authority - Stop the Drop

         Visit a waste water treatment plant - videos (does not count as completion of the requirement, you must actually visit the plant)

         Liquid Assets - The Story of Our Water Infrastructure (video)

          

      7. A public drinking water treatment plant.

      8. An industry water-use installation.

      9. A desalinization plant.

          

   2. Plant 100 trees, bushes and/or vines for a good purpose.

   3. Seed an area of at least one-fifth acre for some worthwhile conservation purposes, using suitable grasses or legumes alone or in a mixture.

   4. Study a soil survey report. Describe the things in it. Using tracing paper and pen, trace over any of the soil maps, and outline an area with three or more different kinds of soil. List each kind of soil by full name and map symbol.

   5. Make a list of places in your neighborhood, camps, school ground, or park having erosion, sedimentation, or pollution problems. Describe how these could be corrected through individual or group action.

   6. Carry out any other soil and water conservation project approved by your merit badge counselor.

Merit Badge Pamphlet Resources

Chesapeake Bay Program

EnviroLink Network

Environmental Protection Agency

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Soil and Water Conservation Society

 

Locally Relevant Merit Badge Resources

Soil and Water Conservation Society - Texas A&M University Student Chapter

Natural Resources Conservation Service - State of Texas