HAYS, Kan. -- The Watershed on Wheels will make an appearance at the Feb. 11 basketball games in Fort Hays State University's Gross Memorial Coliseum. The trailer will be located between Gates 2 and 3 on the north side of the building.

The Watershed on Wheels is a car trailer specially outfitted to transport and showcase 10 canvas panels detailing the Smoky Hill and Big Creek watersheds flowing into Kanopolis Reservoir. They show both rural and urban sources of pollution.

Stacie Minson, Kansas State Research and Extension watershed specialist, envisioned a mobile display that could travel across the state to educate the public on the causes of water pollution. The Watershed on Wheels, or WOW, is the first ever watershed project of its size.

Minson enlisted help from Dr. Bob Stephenson, associate professor of agriculture at FHSU. Stephenson invited other departments to share in Minson's vision. Four departments -- Agriculture, Technology Studies, Art and Design, and Communication Studies -- have been working since fall 2008 to make Minson's vision a reality.

Chris Thummel, Hoxie senior, illustrated the panels using his narrative comic book style. Thummel drew all the pictures, selected the colors and made final alterations to the work. More than 75 individuals helped paint and outline the panels.

Thummel's work has been showcased at several exhibits, including the FHSU Student Art Show, the End Art Show/Student Group Exhibition, and the Drawing Students Group Exhibition. He was also the scholarship award winner in the 2008 Student Art Show and received an FHSU mini-grant award in 2009.

The public can view the WOW trailer during both the women and men's basketball games at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. respectively.