Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Collaborator
Spring Hill Middle School
Little Bull Creek

Date: April 2, 2003
Time: 3:05 p.m.

Visual Assessment

Weather in the past 24 hours:
Clear/Sunny
Weather Today: Clear/Sunny

Major Land Uses in the watershed:
Parking lots, paved driveways, roads; Sewage Treatment plant discharge; Rural homes with septic systems; Industrial discharge; Cropland; Active grazing land &/or feedlots; Construction

Trash at the Creek:
Furniture, Old tires, Barbed wire, tractors, Bottles and cans, Plastic Bags, Candy wrappers
Animals at the Creek: Beavers, Raccoons, Deer, Coyotes
Animals in the Creek: Frogs, Water Striders, Spiders

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 8 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Grasses and Forbs (2), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (4), Big Trees (1), Bedrock (0), Bare Soil or Sand (2), Exposed Roots (1), Big rocks/rip rap (0), Concrete (0), Lawn (0), Other (0)
Right Bank: Grasses and Forbs (3), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (4), Big Trees (1), Bedrock (0), Bare Soil or Sand (1), Exposed Roots (1), Big rocks/rip rap (0), Concrete (0), Lawn (0), Other (0)

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

Habitat Types: Pools, riffles, and 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, logs, sticks, twigs, and fallen leaves
Human Impact: N/A

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Mostly in the shade

What type of algae are present?:

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

Conditions in your stream: 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 (2), Silt (2), Sand (2.5), Gravel (1), Cobbles (1), Boulders (.5), Bedrock (0), Cement platform (0)
Plant Matter (1) Other (0)


Chemical Assessment

N/A


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Caddisfly Larvae, Hellgrammite
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Clams, Crane Fly Larvae, Crayfish, Damselfly Nymphs, Dragonfly Nymphs
Tolerant Species: Aquatic Worms, Blackfly Larvae, 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): 19
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.