Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Participant
Jefferson West High School
Rock Creek

Date: May 12, 2003
Time: 1:00-3:00
HUC8: 10270103
HUC14:
10270103

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; Rural homes with septic systems; Cropland; Active grazing land &/or feedlots; Construction

Trash at the Creek:
Bottles & cans; Hubcaps
Animals at the Creek: Frogs, Raccoons, Birds
Animals in the Creek: Fish, Frogs, Water Striders, Whirly Gig Beetles, Diving Beetles

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 10 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Grasses and Forbs (10), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (10), Big Trees (7), Bedrock (4),
Bare Soil or Sand (3), Exposed Roots (6), Big Rocks/Rip Rap (0), Concrete (0), Lawn (0), Other (0)
Right Bank: Grasses and Forbs (10), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (10), Big Trees (7), Bedrock (4),
Bare Soil or Sand (3), Exposed Roots (6), 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
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: None

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Shade

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: Algae everywhere
Type of Algae: Brown coat of algae on rocks; Algae matted 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): 3
Content of the Stream Bed (1 is the least, 5 is the greatest): Mud (7), Silt (7), Sand (3), Gravel (2), Cobbles (10), Boulders (0), Bedrock (0), Cement Platform (0), Plant Matter (6), Other: Sticks (1)


Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 22 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
6 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 69%
Nitrate:
0 ppm
Phosphate:
1 ppm
pH:
8
Turbidity: 40 JTU
Total Coliforms:
N/A
Biological Oxygen Demand: N/A
Stream Flow: 0.1 m/s


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Mayfly Nymphs, Stonefly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Clams, Crayfish, Dragonfly Nymphs
Tolerant Species: Leeches, Midge Larvae, Pouch Snails

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

Water Quality Determination (as calculated from number of species present): 15
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.