StreamMonitoring

=Stream Monitoring in the Preserve=

Ames High Students started monitoring several sites in and around the Ames High Prairie in order to look at trends over a long period of time.

This is our current assessment of each stream, based on our current data (see below): AHS Tributary (stream running through the Ames High Prairie): Low Quality AHS Track Outlet: Low Quality Squaw Creek Near Stange Road: Medium-High Quality Squaw Creek Near 13th Street: Medium-High Quality

media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&msa=0&msid=115596790423643664209.00046f0f1c5e1283d88e1&ll=42.038361,-93.638191&spn=0.011156,0.018239&z=15&output=embed" width="425" height="350" The list of sites we monitor has grown to 5 (see the map above):
 * Ames High Prairie Tributary
 * Ames High Track Outlet
 * Ames High Tiles near science wing
 * Squaw Creek 100m east of Stange Road
 * Squaw Creek north of 13th Street

The goal is to monitor these sites monthly, however, weather on the day of our double period often affects whether we take measurements.

We use IOWATER monitoring equipment and protocols in order to obtain our data. A minigrant was received from IOWATER to help purchase boots, waders, and benthic macroinvertebrate collecting nets, so that biological sampling could be conducted.

**__Chemical Sampling__**
Here are graphs of the data that we have collected so far:

Nitrate levels have always been zero, so no graph has been included.

**__Biological Sampling__**
Here is a spreadsheet with the benthic macroinvertebrates that were found at each site.
 * || 5/29/08 || 5/21/09 || 5/28/09 ||
 * AHS Track Outlet ||  ||   || None Found ||
 * AHS Tributary || None Found ||  || Aquatic worm, bloodworm, pouch snail ||
 * Squaw Creek near Stange Road ||  || Stonefly, Daselfly, Dragonfly, Aquatic Worm, Midge Fly ||   ||
 * Squaw Creek near 13th Street ||  || Stonefly, Daselfly, Dragonfly, Backswimmer ||   ||