Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Collaborator
Trego High School
Big Creek

Date: March 18, 2002
Time: 1:30-3:15 PM
GPS Coordinates: 39° 58.323', W 99° 50.846'
Elevation: N/A

Visual Assessment

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

Major Land Uses in the watershed:
Cropland; Active grazing land &/or feedlots

Trash at the Creek:
Broken glass, cans
Animals at the Creek: Cows, Raccoons, Deer, Beavers
Animals in the Creek: Fish, Water Striders

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

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

Habitat Types: Pools, Riffles, and Runs
Shape of the Channel: Narrow Banks (< 6 feet), Shallow Water (< 3 feet), Shallow Banks (< 3 feet)

What's in the water?:
Naturally Occurring:
Large branches or logs; Sticks or twigs; Fallen leaves
Human Impact: None
Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Shade

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: Algae in spots
Type of Algae: Green 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): N/A
Content of the Stream Bed (1 is the least, 5 is the greatest): Mud (4), Silt (3), Sand (2), Gravel (2), Cobbles (0), Boulders (0), Bedrock (0), Cement platform (0)



Chemical Assessment

Temperature: N/A
Dissolved Oxygen:
N/A ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 35%
Nitrate:
4 ppm
Phosphate:
1 ppm
pH:
8
Turbidity: 4 JTU
Total Coliforms:
Positive
Biological Oxygen Demand: N/A
Stream Flow: 0.5 m/s


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Gilled Snails
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Crane Fly Larvae
Tolerant Species: Blackfly Larvae, Midge Larvae

How many times did your group sample with the kick net?: 2

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.