Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Collaborator
Manhattan High School
Kings Creek- Site Two

Date: March 7, 2002
Time: 3:10 PM
GPS Coordinates: 39° 06.531', W 96° 36.581'
Elevation: 1088 ft

Visual Assessment

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

Major Land Uses in the watershed:
Rural homes with septic systems; Tallgrass Prarie

Trash at the Creek:
Cement slab, Bucket, Black Plastic
Animals at the Creek: Deer, Beavers
Animals in the Creek: Fish, Minnows

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

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

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

What's in the water?:
Naturally Occurring:
Large branches, logs, sticks, twigs, fallen leaves
Human Impact: None

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Sun

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: Yes
Type of Algae: Brown coat of algae on rocks, algae matted on rocks, and hairy algae

Conditions in your stream: Greenish colored water (due to algae on the bottom), No unusual color

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 (0), Silt (3), Sand (2), Gravel (4), Cobbles (5), Boulders (0), Bedrock (0), Cement platform (0)



Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 4 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
4 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 32%
Nitrate:
<5 ppm
Phosphate:
2 ppm
pH:
8
Turbidity: (almost clear)
Total Coliforms:
Positive
Biological Oxygen Demand: 0 ppm
Stream Flow: 0.04 m/s


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Mayfly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Beetle Larvae
Tolerant Species: Midge Larve, Pouch Snails

How many times did your group sample with the kick net?: N/A

Water Quality Determination (as calculated from number of species present): 7
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.