Stream Ecology Module
This is a story about the impact of recreational activities on stream ecosystems. The setting is one of sagebrush steppe and stream channels; neighboring watersheds in the city of Pocatello, Idaho. The main character is Jenny Cornell, a scientist with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. A few years ago she set to work on an ambitious project that filled her summers with thousands of data points and heavy chest waders. Jenny wanted answers to some very important questions. What happens when hundreds of people walk, run, ride, and drive through a trail system? Is this destructive force more like a lumbering elephant or a tiny mouse? Explore the module to find out more...
Digital Stories
Starting your own field experiment? Don't forget the stream sampling essentials!
Data sets
These data sets have been contributed by Jenny Cornell in an effort to share the results of scientific endeavor. They are intended for use by students and teachers. The icons below are linked to Google Sheets. Please copy and paste the data into your own spreadsheet if you wish to change and manipulate it.
"How to" videos
Ready to step into the shoes of a scientist..? These instructional videos will help you replicate part of Jenny Cornell's research; specifically, macroinvertebrate sampling and sediment surveying. You can explore your own local watershed or return to the banks of City Creek and Gibson Jack Creek.
Compare the images below. What differences do you notice?
The image on the left is a Google Earth satellite projection from 2014. It shows the parking lot and main trail leading into the Gibson Jack watershed. The image on the right is of the same area, two years later. Construction of a new road and parking lot disturbed a large volume of sediment and increased access to the trail system. These changes will have consequences for the stream ecosystem. Consequences that you can measure, and compare against Jenny Cornell's data from previous years.
Teacher Resources
