Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Collaborator
KSU - GLOBE Class
Wildcat Creek (Manhattan Project W.O.L.F.)

Date: April 20, 2002
Time: 9:00 AM
GPS Coordinates: 39° 10.478', W 96° 35.529'
Elevation: 1223 ft

Visual Assessment

Weather in the past 24 hours:
Showers (intermittent rain)
Weather Today: Overcast

Major Land Uses in the watershed:
Parking lots, paved driveways, roads; Golf courses, manicured lawns, or city parks; Other: Car Wash, Transfer Station Downstream
Trash at the Creek:
Fishing line and lures, Broken glass, cans; Plastic Sack
Animals at the Creek: Raccoons, Deer
Animals in the Creek: N/A

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 8 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Concrete (0), Big rocks/rip rap (0), Bare soil or sand (2), Grasses (7), Woody shrubs/small trees (3), Big trees (6), Lawn (0); Other: Gravel Bar (4)
Right Bank: Concrete (0), Big rocks/rip rap (0), Bare soil or sand (4), Grasses (5), Woody shrubs/small trees (5), Big trees (7), Lawn (0); Other: Gravel Bar (2)

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

Habitat Types: Pools, Riffles, Runs
Shape of the Channel: Wide Banks (>6 feet), Shallow 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: N/A

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Shade

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: No Algae
Type of Algae: N/A

Conditions in your stream: No unusual color

Embeddedness (How much silt is around the rocks, 1 is the least, 4 is the greatest): 2.5
Content of the Stream Bed (1 is the least, 5 is the greatest): Mud (1), Silt (0), Sand (0), Gravel (3), Cobbles (4), Boulders (0), Bedrock (0), Cement platform (0)



Chemical Assessment (Not Currently Available)
Temperature: x C
Dissolved Oxygen:
x ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: x%
Nitrate:
x ppm
Phosphate:
x ppm
pH:
x
Turbidity: x JTU
Total Coliforms:
x
Biological Oxygen Demand: x ppm
Stream Flow: x m/s

Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Caddisfly Larvae (1), Mayfly Larvae (3)
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Beetle Larvae (1), Clams (7), Crane Fly Larvae (2), Damselfly Nymphs (1)
Tolerant Species: Blackfly Larvae (3), Leeches (2), Pouch Snails (2)

How many times did your group sample with the kick net?: 1

Water Quality Determination (as calculated from number of species present): 17
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.