E.S.S.R.E. Stream Research
Since the inception of the program, the Teacher's Assistants have historically worked on their own independent project during the second half of the program. In 2017, the TA's had the opportunity to begin a long-term study of the stream, similar to the testing of the soil done as an intern.
Using the pre-existing microclimates from the Soil Biota Surveys as reference points, the choice was made to sample four spots, 5 meters apart, down the stream in or adjacent to each site. The four sampling locations were labeled A, B, C, and D. Spot A was placed where the water started running into the site, spot B was placed 5 meters downstream of spot A, spot C was placed 5 meters downstream of spot B, and spot D was placed 5 meters downstream of spot C, where the water exited the site. The difference between sampling locations between sample spots allowed the TA's to get various snapshots of the stream and its data for the first time with the LaMotte Water Quality Educator test kit provided by the funding for E.S.S.R.E. research. Over the span of 4 days, one out of the four spots (A, B, C, D) in all four locations was sampled for temperature, coliform counts, pH, nitrate nitrogen, calcium carbonate, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and phosphate.
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