The Chinquapin Protecting Our Watersheds group researched the effects of sand mining on the San Jacinto River. We have had a numerous amount of speakers that have provided us with information that has been useful for our project. Brent Stafford of the Galveston Bay Foundation has helped us organize what we want to do and what the purpose of our group is. Jarrett "Woody" Woodrow of Texas Parks and Wildlife has taught us the changes that have occurred in the San Jacinto River over the years. Mary Ann Webber of the Houston Audubon Society showed us that Texas is an important place for migratory birds. Laurie Haffelfinger of Citizens against Air Pollution told us about the air pollution that occurs in our city because of power plants and other sources. Jennifer Lorenz of Legacy Land Trust showed us the effects of sand mining and other industrial projects along Spring Creek. Barbara Sullivan of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality talked to us about how the sand mining operations on the San Jacinto are being regulated.

We have also been on field trips that have helped us learn more about how to take care of our environment and also how to help the problem of sand mining. The field trip to Spring Creek allowed us to know what else we can do in order to regulate the sand mining on the San Jacinto River. Jennifer Lorenz gave us a tour of Spring Creek and showed us what damages and repairs have been done there. Water testing was done along Spring Creek. Jennifer showed us on a map where sand mining has been done. She has offered us advice as to what we can do in order to test the water of the San Jacinto River that is near sand mining. During our field trip to the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge, the class, along with the seventh graders, planted smooth cordgrass to restore a marsh. The people at the Anawak Wildlife Refuge were happy about what we were doing and thanked us for our help.

CPOW has also been writing letters to different people concerning the sand mining along the San Jacinto. The class has written letters to Senator Tommy Williams requesting that the bills under legislation be passed. In our letters, we requested that the sand mining operators restore the land that they used for sand mining. These operators include those that are currently sand mining. Letters were also written to sand mining operators. In them, we suggested ways that they can change their ways, which would include restoring the land testing their discharge, putting up silt fencing, and putting a 100 foot bugger between the operation and the river.