Introduction Methods and Materials Data and Results Discussion
Conclusion Bibliography Links  Photos

Results

       Insect Collection
 Our tests of the Beaver Creek Watershed revealed that though the winter and spring floods only a small change occurred.  Ratings ranged from 2.97 to 4.40.
In site 1 overall we found a very good rating,3.63 in the fall and 4.40 in the spring.   Seven different insect families were found in the fall and fifteen different families were collected in the spring.  Site 2 demonstrated an excellent rating at 2.97 in the fall and, with little change, an excellent rating value of 3.38 in the spring.  Twelve different families were discovered on site 2 for fall collection.  Similarly, eleven different families were collected in the spring.  An excellent value of 3.12 for the fall and a excellent value of 3.32 for spring, illustrated little difference in stream quality for site 3.    The number of species found in spring and fall for site 3 were very close.  Fall collection resulted in ten different families; whereas, spring resulted in eleven different families.
0- 10 scale (0- perfect 10-terrible)
Site Fall Rating  Spring Rating
Site 1 Very Good (3.63) Very Good (4.40)
Site 2 Excellent (2.97) Excellent (3.38)
Site 3 Excellent (3.12) Excellent (3.32)

Chemical Tests
Nitrate levels in both site 1 and 2 were low, leveling off at .1 to .2 mg/L. throughout our collections, except March 14 because the level jumped to 4.3 mg/L.  On March 14, 2001 the graph indicates 0 nitrate for site 1.  The 0 stands for the data that was lost from that collection.

 
 Turbidity levels stayed constant, until the spring months because the water levels rose.  Again, data was lost on March 14, 2001 so the graph shows a turbidity level of 0.

 Phosphate readings indicated a signifigant difference between site1 and site 2 on the day of January 17, 2001.  Site 1 reading values in at 0.1 mg/L; however, site 2’s readings came in at 0.4 mg/L.  Besides that date, the levels stayed above the maxium limit of 0.1 mg/L.
 
D.O. levels stayed constant and there was little change between the two sites.  The D.O. did drop slightly as the water warmed up.

Temperature readings of the stream at site 1 varied normally.  Temperature began to rise in the water as the air temperature increased.  We removed hobos from their positions on April 20, 2001; therefore, data after April 20 is not valid.
 

Fish Collections

 Thoughout the winter and spring we baited minnows into 2 minnow traps set one mile apart on the Beaver Creek Watershed.  We caught 167 total fish during this time.  The species found were the Brook Stickleback, Cental Mudminnow, Northern Redbellied Dace, Creek Chub, Blacknosed Dace, Golden Shiner, Rainbow Trout, and unknown species.  Brook Stickleback comprised 45% of the collected fish; Central Mudminnow, 19%; Northern Redbellied Dace 19%; Creek Chub 10%; Blacknosed Dace, 1%; Golden Shiner, .6%; Rainbow Trout, .6%; and unknowns, 5%.
 

Results
 
Family Level Biotic Index (FBI) evaluation sheet Ball Stream Habitat rating form
FBI interpretation sheet Chemical Data
FBI Results

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI)