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

Date: 04/15/04
Time: 9:00am - 11:00am
HUC14: 10270103050060

Visual Assessment

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

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:
Old tires, Broken glass, cans, Wheelbarrel
Animals at the Creek: Frogs, Raccoons, Deer
Animals in the Creek: Fish

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 8 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Concrete (7), Big rocks/rip rap (6), Bare soil or sand (1), Grasses (4), Woody shrubs/small trees (6), Big trees (6), Lawn (1)
Right Bank: Concrete (7), Big rocks/rip rap (6), Bare soil or sand (1), Grasses (4), Woody shrubs/small trees (6), Big trees (6), Lawn (1)

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

Habitat Types: Pools, Riffles, 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 or logs; Sticks or twigs; Fallen leaves
Human Impact: Grass clippings

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Sun

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: Algae in spots
Type of Algae: Hairy Algae

Conditions in your stream: Muddy water; Greenish colored water; Yellow-brown to dark brown water; Dusty film on surface

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 (4), Silt (4), Sand (0), Gravel (3), Cobbles (3), Boulders (0), Bedrock (1), Cement platform (0)


Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 12 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
4 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 37%
Nitrate:
<5 ppm
Phosphate:
2 ppm
pH:
7
Turbidity: 20 JTU
Total Coliforms:
Positive
Biological Oxygen Demand: 4 ppm
Stream Flow: 0.2 m/s


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Mayfly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Beetle Larvae, Crayfish, Alderfly Larvae
Tolerant Species: Aquatic Worms, Leeches, Pouch Snails

How many times did your group sample with the kick net?: 5

Water Quality Determination (as calculated from number of species present): 12
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.