May 05, 2016

April Field Updates: Monitoring

Bioassessment Training

We kicked off our spring bioassessment season with our annual training. We had 27 volunteers attend.

Our Field Technician, Evan, demonstrates for volunteers how to collect macroinvertebrates using a net.
Our Field Technician, Evan, demonstrates for volunteers how to collect macroinvertebrates using a net.

 

We trained volunteers in water quality monitoring to collect data such as temperature, pH and oxygen levels.
We trained volunteers in water quality monitoring to collect data such as temperature, pH, and oxygen levels.

Monitoring Coordinator Karissa explains to volunteers how to collect habitat data such as water depth and creek bottom characteristics.
Monitoring Coordinator Karissa explains to volunteers how to collect habitat data such as water depth and creek bottom characteristics.

Look closely and you’ll see some of the wildlife we encountered on our survey
Look closely and you’ll see some of the wildlife we encountered on our survey

 

Bioassessment Surveys

The field season is underway. Four of our eight surveys for the year have been completed with the assistance of 13 dedicated volunteers.

 

The whole crew at work, collecting habitat measurements.
The whole crew at work, collecting habitat measurements.

 

It’s a tight squeeze to gather habitat data on Chorro Creek at a site located downstream of the South Bay Boulevard bridge.
It’s a tight squeeze to gather habitat data on Chorro Creek at a site located downstream of the South Bay Boulevard bridge.

 

One of the fun things about bioassessment monitoring is getting to see far-flung parts of the watershed, like this stretch of upper Pennington Creek.
One of the fun things about bioassessment monitoring is getting to see far-flung parts of the watershed, like this stretch of upper Pennington Creek.

 

This month in the field we encountered beautiful flora such as this hummingbird sage.
This month in the field we encountered beautiful flora such as this hummingbird sage.

 

 

And of course there’s always a lot of our nemesis, poison oak, to be found in the watershed!
And of course there’s always a lot of our nemesis, poison oak, to be found in the watershed!

 


 

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