Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Collaborator
Baileyville - St. Benedict High School
Wildcat Creek

Date: April 17, 2002
Time: 12:20 PM
Outside Temperature: 72 F
Water Temperature:
69 F

Stream Walk Survey

Does the stream flow in a straight line or does it curve?
Curve
What is the stream bed made of? Boulders, Cobbles, Gravel, Sand, Silt
What Color is the water?
Clear
Is there foam on the surface?
No
Is the stream the same color, or does it change? Same color, becomes muddy when sectioned off
Do you see trash? Yes - bottles, paper, plastic, tires, oil filter, trash, cans, styrofoam
Do you smell any unusual smells? Yes - Sewage, a little fishy
What do you see on the streambanks?
Soil, Rock, Vegetation/Roots
What types of vegetation is growing on the streambanks? Trees, Shrubs, Grasses and Vines
What is the land along the stream like? Lawn, Trees, Sand
What are the land uses along the stream? Roads, Schools, Crop Fields, Pastures, Discharge Pipes, Cut Trees, Bridges
Do you see animal tracks? Yes - Racoon, Coyote, Deer
Do you see animal homes? Yes - built with logs, trees, and grass
Describe the wildlife you see: Birds, minnows, and frogs
Do you see fish? Yes - many, 3" long
Do you see or hear insects? Yes - Spiders, Ants, Beetles, Flies
What other observations can you make? There were many broken logs/sticks, some areas have trash scattered, there are a lot of ripples throughout the stream.

Stream Quality Survey

Weather Conditions (last 72 hours): Windy, 80 F

Average stream width: 6 ft.
Average stream depth: 1/2 ft.
Flow Rate: Normal

Macroinvertebrate Count:
Sensitive Species: Mayfly Nymphs, Gilled Snail, Riffle Beetle Adult, Stonefly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: None
Tolerant Species: None
Water Quality Rating (as calculated from number and abundance of species present): 18
Scale: Excellent (>22), Good (17-22), Fair (11-16), Poor (<11)

Fish water quality indicators: Scattered schools
Barriers to fish movement: Beaver dams

Surface water appearance: Clear

Stream bed deposit: Black, Brown, Silt, Sand
Odor:
Sewage
Stability of stream bed: Bed sinks beneath your feet in a few spots

% Bank covered by plants, rocks and logs:
Stream banks (sides):
30-70% Fair
Top banks (slope and floodplain):
>70% Good

Algae color: light green, dark green, brown coated, matted on stream bed, hairy
Algae located:
in spots, 25% of bed cover

Stream channel shade:
20-49% Moderate
Stream bank composition: 10% trees, 10% shrubs, 20% grass, 60% bare soil
Stream bank erosion:
50-80% High
Riffle composition: 20% silt, 40% sand, 20% gravel, 10% cobbles, 10% boulders

Are there any discharge pipes? Yes


StreamLink Collaborators are in no way conducting professional water quality sampling. The information gathered is for educational purposes only. Students across Kansas share their creek experiences via the internet. If you have concerns about your water, please contact your local drinking water supplier or the KS Dept. of Health & Environment.