Hydrosapiens GIV eSAT of Vermont: Water Group 2013 Ben DeJong, Nina Brundage, Caitlin Beaudet, Julie Rickner, Mariah Ollive, Hannah VanGuilder, Heather McCabe,Carly Brown, Ian Browning, Jack Cinque, Alexander Cotnoir
Feb 24, 2016
Hydrosapiens GIV eSAT of Vermont: Water Group 2013
Ben DeJong, Nina Brundage, Caitlin Beaudet, Julie Rickner, Mariah Ollive, Hannah VanGuilder, Heather McCabe,Carly Brown, Ian Browning, Jack Cinque, Alexander Cotnoir
Clear Water Revival:A case study in the Greater Burlington Area
Research Field DaysJune 24: Field Day at Centennial Brook
(Urban)
Research Question: Can we determine the relative health of urban and rural streams using a combined physical, biological, and
chemical approach?
June 25: Field Day at the Mill Brook (Rural)
Locations:
Centennial Brook
Drainage Basin: 0.34 mi2
Mill Brook
Drainage Basin for sampled location
at Mill Brook: 4.95 mi2
Entire Mill Brook Watershed: 16.3 mi2
Location Comparison
Methods:
Chemical
Physical
Biological
Physical
Stream Characteristics
Light Meter
Strength
Exposure
Habitat AssessmentEpifaunal substrate and available
cover
Embeddedness and size of cobbles
Velocity to depth comparison
Sediment deposition
Area of channel flow
Human Alteration
Frequency of riffles
Bank Stability
Bank Vegetative Protection
Riparian Vegetative Zone Width
Velocity (m/s)
Stream Geometry
Discharge (m3/s)
Depth (m)
Width (m)
Biological
Sampling Methods
Direct Water Samples
Dump and Rinse Net
Repeat 3 times
Macro Invertebrate Sampling
Macro Invertebrate Identification
Count and Identify Macro Invertebrate in water sample
Identifying characteristics
Determine the group and sub-group of each organism
Tally records
Chemical
PropertiesDissolved Oxygen
Meter:Oxygen Levels
HACH Meter:Nitrate and Phosphate Levels
Pollution
pH:Acidity
Data
Physical Results
Visual ObservationsMill Brook
Sunny and humid
Dirt road visible from stream
Located in rural mountain area
Noisier, wider width
Evidence of wildlife
Terrace formations
Evidence of creeping
Fence separating nearby shooting range
Centennial Brook
Sunny and humid
Paved roads by entrance of woods
Located in populated valley area
Riparian zones, meandering river
Evidence of recent rain
Vegetated banks
Evidence of wildlife
Habitat Assessment Data
River Cross Sections and Discharge
Mill Brook Cross Section Downstream
Sunlight Comparison
Biological Results
Multimetric Index
Metric Organisms
SEM
Chemical Results
Chemical Properties
Nitrogen and Phosphorous Levels
Concluding Results
Chemical
Physical
• Higher phosphorous and nitrogen levels in Centennial• Higher oxygen percent in Mill Brook
Optimal
Marginal
Sub Optimal
Biological
ConclusionThe Hydrosapiens have determined we can use physical, chemical and biological approaches to
determine the health of urban and rural streams.