Kansas StreamLink
...a watershed exploration
StreamLink Participant
Rochester Elementary
Indian Creek

Date: October 2, 2003
Time: 9:30 am
HUC8: 10207010

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; Golf courses, manicured lawns, or city parks; Rural homes with septic systems; Construction

Trash at the Creek:
Bottles & cans; tennis ball
Animals at the Creek: Frogs, Birds, Deer (tracks), Bee
Animals in the Creek: Frogs, Whirly Gig Beetles

Stream Bank Cover (1 is the least, 10 is the greatest):
Left Bank:
Grasses and Forbs (4), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (8), Big Trees (7), Bedrock (3-4), Bare Soil or Sand (3), Exposed Roots (2-3), Big Rocks/Rip Rap (0), Concrete (0), Lawn (0), Other (0)
Right Bank: Grasses and Forbs (7), Woody Shrubs/Small Trees (8), Big Trees (6), Bedrock (2), Bare Soil or Sand (2), Exposed Roots (3), 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 and 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: Crop residue; Grass clippings; Bags of leaves

Is the creek in the sunshine or shade?:
Shade

What type of algae are present?:

Algae Present: No Algae
Type of Algae: None

Conditions in your stream: No unusual color; Multi-colored sheen on water or oily smell

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 (5), Silt (6), Sand (2), Gravel (2), Cobbles (4), Boulders (0), Bedrock (6), Cement Platform (0), Plant Matter (7), Other (0)


Chemical Assessment

Temperature: 10 C
Dissolved Oxygen:
4 ppm
Percent Oxygen Saturation: 35%
Nitrate:
< 5 ppm
Phosphate:
1.5 ppm
pH:
8
Turbidity: N/A

Stream Flow: N/A


Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Sensitive Species: Mayfly Nymphs, Riffle Beetle Adult, Stonefly Nymphs
Somewhat Sensitive Species: Clams, Crayfish
Tolerant Species: Aquatic Worms, Blackfly Larvae, 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): 17
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.