GLOBE Hydrology

Naperville Community Unit School District 203

On May 24, 2005, Mrs. Nolan took her class to Rots' Creek for some hydrology studies.  Students measured the  transparency, PH, conductivity and temperature of the water.  They also found the latitude and longitude of the site, so that they could let other GLOBE scientists and students know their location. 

On November 4, 2005, We were blessed with a beautiful fall day when we returned to the creek. The students were surprised to find that the creek had dried up, because of the severe Midwest drought of 2005!  Mrs. Nolan set up 4 groups that investigated different areas of the riverbed.  Mr. Jack McRae, of The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, came out to help the students study the water quality, using macro invertebrates. (Little spineless creatures that can be seen without a microscope)

With the lack of running water, students were surprised to find that the puddles of standing water  contained living macro invertebrates.  Mr. Lopatka took a group to test the water quality using the GLOBE protocols.  The results will be interesting to compare to the spring findings that were entered into the GLOBE Data base.

 

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Students assemble and pack their supplies for their trip to the Creek.

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The trip begins, with wagons full of supplies and materials.

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Mrs. Nolan and parent Volunteers guide the students safely across the street.

 

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After more than a mile hike, students meet Mr. Jack McRae, of The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, who has a truck full of nets and boots for the students.

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Students put their boots on and head for the  creek.                                                                             

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Rots Creek is about 300 meters back into the woods.  Some of the wagons had a hard time traveling on the hilly, wood chip trail.

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Where is the creek?

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Just a few puddles were found.

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Mr. Jack stands in the middle of the dried up creek.

 

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He explains that this stream depends on rain water, not like the DuPage River that keeps flowing with the help of water that is discharged from the water treatment plant.

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GLOBE students are getting a reading from the conductivity meter.

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This is the group that is testing the water quality with Mr. Lopatka

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There were a surprising number of macro invertebrates in the standing water.

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Mrs. Nolan uses a video camera to record the Macro invertebrates. 

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Mr. Jack McRae used the number and diversity of macro invertebrates found and a formula to determine the water quality.  It was not as bad as we had hypothesized.

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Mr. Lopatka's GLOBE group used a turbidity tube to find that the water's transparency was not good.  Only 10 cm of water prevented us from seeing the bottom of the tube.

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The electrical conductivity of the water had a rating of over 1000.  The water PH was good, it tested out between 7 and 7.5.  The temperature was 11 degrees Celsius.

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Students found that they didn't need boots to walk down the creek that was full of water in the spring.  go to  Spring pictures.    

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Some students took core samples of the soil from the creek bottom.                

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Students gather for some parting words from Mrs. Nolan, Mr. Lopatka and Mr. Jack McRae.

Students found a dragonfly nymph, a damselfly nymph, numerous sow bugs, some leeches, a riffle beetle, two right handed snails, and perhaps a clam (there were shells but I don't know if anyone found a live one. The quality rating was 2.7 or rounded to 2.8. That gives the water a fair rating.

GLOBE Hydrology Study:

Steeple Run Spring Hydrology in Naperville