Visual Survey

Stream Location: Mill Creek Date: 10/3/2011 Names: 4th Grade: Smith, Coene, Burns
A. Watershed Walk Survey
Circle the condition that best describes your stream segment for each category. Consider the 1-mile area upstream of your stream segment as the watershed.

Category
Land use by the stream Banks erosion

Excellent Condition
Undisturbed, good cover all year No erosion, dirt is covered, no evidence of soil loss Good vegetation cover No slick, film or foam Clear water No odor No silt, no erosion Moderate algal growth Abundant None Little, seems natural

Fair/Good Condition
Little to moderate cover, some bare ground & some paved
Moderate erosion, some exposed dirt & some cover, slight evidence of soil loss, gentle slope

Poor Condition
Bare dirt or completely paved, maximum disturbance Severe erosion, exposed dirt, obvious loss of soil, steep slope Little or no vegetation, exposed dirt Film or foam is pronounced Highly colored or low clarity Severe odor Much silt, shows erosion Overabundant algal growth None Very common Major dams, pipes, road culverts, etc.

Banks vegetation Water surface Water color/clarity Water odor Stream bed siltation Algal growth in stream Animal life Litter Human impacts in stream

Moderate vegetation problems at high flow time Slight film or foam Little color or slight loss of clarity Slight odor Slight silt, some erosion No algae Few Small amount Moderate, some evidence of change

B. Weather Conditions
Check one: Clear Cloudy Overcast Did it rain or snow within last 24-48 hours? Yes No Air Temperature: 65 F

C. Stream Bed
Describe the material on the bed of the stream. Circle all materials you see on the bed of the stream. Take clear pictures of the area so we can determine the percentage of each back in the classroom. Bedrock Boulders Large cobbles Small cobbles Gravels Sand Mud/silt Man-made Woody debris Water plants continuous rock that may be only partly exposed separate, often embedded, over 25 cm across 1225 cm across 612 cm across 0.26 cm across 0.010.2 cm fine and smooth, not gritty structures covering the natural stream bottom fallen trees, branches, twigs and entrapped leaves leafy water plants rooted into the stream bottom or the stream sides

D. Bank Vegetation
Describe the vegetation on the banks of the 10 meter stretch of your site. Circle each type of vegetation you see on each side of the stream. Take clear pictures of the vegetation. Back in the classroom we will use the pictures to estimate the percentage cover on each bank for each category. Evergreen Trees (coniferous) Deciduous Trees Wetland Vegetation Tall grasses Scrub (weedy) Rock, gravel Grass and weeds Bare ground Building, yards, roads Evergreen Trees (coniferous) Deciduous Trees Wetland Vegetation Tall grasses Scrub (weedy) Rock, gravel Grass and weeds Bare ground Building, yards, roads

Information adapted from Community Water Watch Participants Manual, Monroe County, NY