Anna Lenox, alenox@usgs.gov
William J. Shampine, shampine@usgs.gov
Daniel J. Goode, djgoode@usgs.gov

The USGS has conceptualized and implemented a variety of technical activities as part of the Public Awareness and Water Conservation project, one of several projects sponsored by the Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources of the Middle East Peace Process. One of these activities is the RainCatcher project. RainCatcher, a pilot project initiated in 2004, will provide students a chance to “learn by doing”. It should increase awareness of rain harvesting as an important component in water conservation, and offer a unique opportunity for regional collaboration on water conservation issues. Students from Palestinian, Israeli, and Jordanian schools (two schools for each Party) will help in the design and monitoring of a rain harvesting system designed specifically for their school. They also will participate in various educational-related assignments and experiments. The U.S., represented by the USGS, is sponsoring the activity and will guide implementation.