Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Participant
Dexter High School
Grouse Creek

Date:12/6/01
Time:8:30 AM

Visual Assessment

Weather in the past 24 hours:
Overcast
Weather Today: Overcast

Major Land Uses in the watershed:
Rural homes with septic systems; Cropland; Active grazing land &/or feedlots

Trash at the Creek:
Old tires, Fishing line and lures, Broken glass, cans, other
Animals at the Creek: Frogs, Raccoons, Birds
Animals in the Creek: Fish

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 8 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Big rocks/rip rap (5), Bare soil or sand (3), Grasses (8), Woody shrubs/small trees (4), Big trees (6)
Right Bank: Bare soil or sand (8), Grasses (7), Woody shrubs/small trees (5), Big trees (6)

Stream Bank Conditions:
Left Bank:
Steeply Sloping
Right Bank:
Steeply Sloping

Habitat Types: Pools, Riffles, Runs
Shape of the Channel: Wide Banks (> 6 feet), Deep Water (> 3 feet), Deep Banks (> 3 feet)

What's in the water?:
Naturally Occurring:
Large branches or logs; Sticks or twigs; Fallen leaves
Human Impact: none observed

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Sun

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: Algae in spots
Type of Algae: Brown coat of algae on rocks; Algae matted on rocks

Conditions in your stream: Muddy water; No unusual color

Embeddedness (How much silt is around the rocks, 1 is the least, 4 is the greatest): #
Content of the Stream Bed (1 is the least, 5 is the greatest): Mud (3), Silt (2), Sand (2), Gravel (5), Cobbles (3), Boulders (1), Bedrock (2)


Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 18 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
6.67 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 84 %
Nitrate:
0 ppm
Phosphate:
2 ppm
pH:
6.67
Turbidity: N/A
Total Coliforms:
Positive
Biological Oxygen Demand: 4 ppm
Stream Flow: 0.3 m/s


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: none
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Clams, Crayfish
Tolerant Species: Pouch snails

How many times did your group sample with the kick net?: 4

Water Quality Determination (as calculated from number of species present): 5
Scale: Excellent (>22), Good (17-22), Fair (11-16), Poor (<11)

StreamLink Participants 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.