River turned green as part of HandsOn project

SENIOR secondary school pupils from throughout the country undertook a wide range of research programmes yesterday during the latest HandsOn at Otago week in Dunedin.

‘‘They were pretty excited at the idea of turning the river green,’’ Dr Sarah Mager, of the University of Otago, said about a geography project involving the Water of Leith.

Yesterday was ‘‘a really great opportunity’’ for some of the visiting pupils — who were among a wider group of 400 senior secondary pupils — taking part in the university’s annual educational programme.

‘‘And Dunedin put the weather on as well, which was nice,’’ she said.

Dr Mager, of the Otago School of Geography, coordinated a research programme during which pupils studied water flow patterns in the Water of Leith by using biodegradable green dye.

Pupils also used instruments to measure depth and flow, and participated in classroom sessions.

PHOTOS: GERARD O’BRIEN New hue . . . Dye is released into the Water of Leith yesterday as part of an educational exercise organised by the University of Otago School of Geography and the annual HandsOn at Otago programme.

Going with the flow . . . Elisa Starlinger (17), of Blenheim, and Willa McLachlan, of Palmerston North, take depth and flow measurements in the Water of Leith as part of the programme yesterday.