STREAM MONITORING PROJECT

                                                              
                                                                                              

                        Forks School Lower Grade students, aides, 
                             AmeriCorps Watershed Ed Coordinator, and SRRC Watershed 
                                 Ed coordinator at river study site on the Salmon River
                                                                                      
          

Forks School has participated in stream and air temperature  monitoring projects since 1995 for the Salmon River & its tributaries. Through the years, more studies have been added to our fieldtrips as we try to learn more about our riparian areas. Currently we conduct the following activities at our river sites:

*  Monitor stream temperatures with 3 hobo temps          
*   Submit temperature data to cooperative  agencies
*   Take the dissolved oxygen levels                    
*   Collect and key out aquatic insects  
*   Calculate streamflows (discharge of water)
*   Calculate canopy cover percentages
*   Measure or estimate stream channel widths
*   Take photo points of sites with digital camera

                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                  Students taking streamflow measurements in 
                                                                                                            Nordheimer Creek, a tributary of the Salmon River  
                                                                                                                          

Student Writing
   Hobo Temps
Hobo temps are computerized thermometers that we use to take the temperate of the air and water. We put the hobos in the river and air during late spring and take them out in the fall. We are trying to find out when the river is too hot for the fish. We bring a laptop to the river to launch and download the hobos. The Forks School and the Salmon River Restoration Council put the Hobos in and also take them out together.   

By Joe, Grade 3


Students calibrating hobo temps to prepare them for field use


Drake collecting aquatic insects at Little North Fork site. He is using a D-ring kicknet to catch them.


Both downstream & upstream photo points are taken at each stream temperature monitoring site.


Working together is necessary for calculating stream flows. Students must measure both depth and channel width.


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