Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Collaborator
Eisenhower Middle School
Blue River (Rocky Ford)

Date: April 24, 2002
Time: 1:20
GPS Coordinates: 39° 14.28', W 96° 35.15'

Visual Assessment

Weather in the past 24 hours:
Storm, Rain, Overcast
Weather Today: Clear/Sunny

Major Land Uses in the watershed:
Parking lots, paved driveways, roads; Rural homes with septic systems
Trash at the Creek:
Fishing line and lures, Broken glass, cans
Animals at the Creek: Frogs, Snakes, Buzzard, Crow, Blue Winged Teal
Animals in the Creek: Fish, Canada Geese

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 8 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Concrete (1), Big rocks/rip rap (5), Bare soil or sand (3), Grasses (4), Woody shrubs/small trees (5), Big trees (7), Lawn (0)
Right Bank: Concrete (1), Big rocks/rip rap (3), Bare soil or sand (2), Grasses (2), Woody shrubs/small trees (3), Big trees (7), Lawn (0)

Stream Bank Conditions:
Left Bank:
N/A
Right Bank: N/A

Habitat Types: Pools, Riffles
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
Human Impact: N/A

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Sun

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: Algae in spots
Type of Algae: Algae matted on rocks

Conditions in your stream: Blue colored water

Embeddedness (How much silt is around the rocks, 1 is the least, 4 is the greatest): 3
Content of the Stream Bed (1 is the least, 5 is the greatest): Mud (3), Silt (0), Sand (3), Gravel (4), Cobbles (3), Boulders (2), Bedrock (3), Cement platform (1)



Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 18 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
8 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 84%
Nitrate:
5 ppm
Phosphate:
1 ppm
pH:
9
Turbidity: 40 JTU
Total Coliforms:
Positive
Biological Oxygen Demand: 4 ppm
Stream Flow: N/A


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Stonefly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Crane Fly Larvae
Tolerant Species: Blackfly Larvae

How many times did your group sample with the kick net?: 3

Water Quality Determination (as calculated from number of species present): 6
Scale: Excellent (>22), Good (17-22), Fair (11-16), Poor (<11)

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.