Dayton students learn about water cycle to celebrate Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day, first-graders at Riverview Elementary in Dayton learned about the water cycle, how seeds grow, and their community water system on Wednesday.

The students also learned the importance protecting the earth’s air and water for future generations. Second-graders learned about bicycle safety thanks to the efforts of Cortney Bloomer, with the Western Nevada Safe Routes to School Program.

The Earth Day event was coordinated By USDA Rural Development in Carson City and Riverview Elementary School Principal Barbara Harris.

The Healthy Communities Coalition, Nevada River Wranglers, and MusclePowered Citizens for a Bikeable and Walkable Carson City volunteered to help at the event.

USDA Rural Development selected Dayton as its Earth Day community due to Lyon County’s commitment to remove 491 septic tanks from an area in Mark Twain. The septic tanks will be replaced with a waste water collection system. USDA Rural Development is contributing $11.9 million in grant and loan funds to complete the septic removal and add waste water lines to connect the area to the central sewage treatment in the area. The project will reduce nitrates in the groundwater in the region.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has a portfolio of more than $208 billion in loans and loan guarantees in programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.