Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Participant
Central Heights High School
Pottawatomie Creek

Date: April 30, 2003
Time: 9:30 a.m.

Visual Assessment

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

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

Trash at the Creek:
Bottles & cans
Animals at the Creek: Frogs, Turtles, Snakes, Birds
Animals in the Creek: Fish, Turtles, Frogs, Water Snakes

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 10 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Grasses and Forbs (7), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (10), Big Trees (9), Bedrock (-),
Bare Soil or Sand (8), Exposed Roots (6), Big Rocks/Rip Rap (5), Concrete (4), Lawn (-), Other (-)
Right Bank: Grasses and Forbs (7), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (10), Big Trees (9), Bedrock (-),
Bare Soil or Sand (8), Exposed Roots (6), Big Rocks/Rip Rap (5), Concrete (4), Lawn (-), Other (-)

Stream Bank Conditions:
Left Bank:
N/A
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, fallen leaves
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: Brown coat of algae on rocks

Conditions in your stream: No unusual color

Embeddedness (How much silt is around the rocks, 1 is the least, 4 is the greatest): 2
Content of the Stream Bed (1 is the least, 10 is the greatest): Mud (-), Silt (5), Sand (6), Gravel (7), Cobbles (9), Boulders (10), Bedrock (8), Cement Platform (0), Plant Matter (4), Other (3)


Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 20 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
8 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 88 %
Nitrate:
4 ppm
Phosphate:
0.3 ppm
pH:
8
Turbidity: N/A
Total Coliforms:
Positive
Biological Oxygen Demand: 4 ppm
Stream Flow: 1.9 m/s


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Caddisfly Larvae, Hellgrammite, Mayfly Nymphs, Riffle Beetle Adult, Stonefly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Clams, Crayfish, Damselfly Nymphs, Dragonfly Nymphs
Tolerant Species: Aquatic Worms, Leeches, Midge 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): 27
Scale: Excellent (>22), Good (17-22), Fair (11-16), Poor (<11)

StreamLink Participants 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.