8th Grade
Fort River Ecology Field Book
For
Name _________________________________________
Field Work Group __________
Science Class __________
1
Station 1: River Depth
At this station, we are investigating the variation of depths in one section of river. The goal is for you to measure the depth of water in 8 random
locations within the flagged off portion of this station. You may need to team up or work as a group depending on how you will be measuring
depth. You will do this by imagining dividing the river into a grid of 8 equal parts (see next page). You may take one measurement from anywhere
within each of those grids. Mark the approximate location that you chose to measure in the grid on the next page and record the depth that will
represent that grid. Then answer the following questions.
1) Use the depths that you recorded to populate the table below:
Location
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Depth (inches)
Depth (cm) [in*2.54]
2) Depending on where you measured, your depths in cm may cover a wide range of values. Let’s look for a depth signature by placing the
values that you measured into range categories or bins. Enter the number of measurements that fit into the following bins below (left) and
then use those numbers to create a bar chart or histogram (right).
8
Depth Bin
Number of
Percentage of Total
7
Measurements
(# / 8)
6
26 – 50 cm
51 – 75 cm
Number
0 – 25 cm
5
4
76 – 100 cm
3
101 – 125 cm
2
> 125 cm
1
0-25
26-50
51-75
76-100
101-75
> 125
3) Describe the histogram that you created, is there a pattern to the depths in the portion of river that you measured?
2
4) Was the location that you chose to measure a good estimate of the average depth for that grid? Why or Why not? (were depths in the grid
similar or was there a lot of variation)
Opposite River Bank
1
2
4
3
5
6
7
8
Park Side River Bank
Use the diagram above to estimate the location of your measurement in each of the sections and record the depth of the river. You may choose to
sketch in notable features or alter the banks to look more like the river that you see in front of you.
3
Station 2: River Velocity
At this station, we are investigating the variation in velocity in one section of the river. The goal is for you to measure the velocity of water in 8
random locations within the flagged off portion of this station. You may need to team up or work as a group depending on how you will be
measuring velocity. You will do this by imagining dividing the river into a grid of 8 equal parts (see next page). You may take one measurement from
anywhere within each of those grids. Use a float, tape measure and stop watch or a flow meter to measure velocity and then record that value in
the grid on the next page . Then answer the following questions.
1) Use the velocities that you recorded to populate the table below:
Location
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Velocity (ft/sec)
Velocity (cm/sec)
[ft/sec*12*2.54]
2) Depending on where you measured, your velocities in cm/sec may cover a wide range of values. Let’s looks for a velocity signature by
placing the values that you measured into range categories or bins. Enter the number of measurements that fit into the following bins
below (left) and then use those numbers to create a bar chart or histogram (right).
Velocity Bin
Number of
Measurements
Percentage of Total
(# / 8)
8
7
6
16 – 30 cm
5
31 – 45 cm
46 – 60 cm
61 – 75 cm
76 – 90 cm
Number
0 – 15 cm
4
3
2
1
0-15
16-30
31-45
46-60
61-75
76-90
> 91
> 91 cm
3) Describe the histogram that you created, is there a pattern to the velocities in the portion of river that you measured?
4
4) Was the location that you chose to measure a good estimate of the average velocity for that grid? Why or Why not? (were velocities in the
grid similar or was there a lot of variation)
Opposite River Bank
1
2
4
3
5
6
7
8
Park Side River Bank
Use the diagram above to estimate the location of your measurement in each of the sections and record the velocity of the river. You may choose
to sketch in notable features or alter the banks to look more like the river that you see in front of you.
5
Station 3: River Substrate
At this station, you are going to look closely at the riverbed material (the grain sizes of rocks, pebbles, sand, or organic material. The size of the
material can tell us a lot about the energy in the river and the animals that may be able to survive in this environment. The goal is for you to
examine the grain size of the river bottom and determine the dominant type in 8 random locations within the flagged off portion of this station.
You will do this by imagining dividing the river into a grid of 8 equal parts (see next page). Stand anywhere in your grid and imagine that your feet
are frozen in place. Estimate the dominate size class of the area within arm’s reach, while visually inspecting or touching the river bottom. Then
answer the following questions.
1) Use the table below to choose the grain size bin for your dominate class and record in the table below:
Location
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Dominant Category
2) Depending on where you measure, there may be quite a variety in the river bed grain size. Choosing the dominant category will help us to
describe conditions from a fish’s perspective. Record the dominant grain size on your map and then enter the number of measurements
that fit into the following bins below (left) and then use those numbers to create a bar chart or histogram (right).
Grain size Bin
Number of
Measurements
% of Total
(# / 8)
8
7
Organic Material
(branches, leaves)
Sand
Gravel (sand to golf
ball)
Small cobble (golf
ball to baseball)
Large cobble
(baseball to softball)
Boulders or larger
5
Number
Silt (very fine sand)
6
4
3
2
1
organic
silt
sand
gravel sm cobble lg cobble boulders
3) Describe the histogram that you created, is there a pattern to the grain
size in the portion of river that you measured?
4) What could cause the differences in grain size seen in this portion of the
river?
6
Opposite River Bank
1
2
4
3
5
6
7
8
Park Side River Bank
Use the diagram above to estimate the location of your measurement in each of the sections and record the dominate grain size for that portion of
the river. Draw an example of what the grain size matrix looks like to you. You may choose to sketch in notable features or alter the banks to look
more like the river that you see in front of you.
7
Station 4: River Chemistry
At this station, we will take some measurements of water quality and collect some water from the river to take back to the classroom for additional
testing.
1) River water is a mixture of many substances. How can we identify and measure some of these substances?
Use the test kits to test for the following substances in the river water, and fill in your data below (remember units!):
•
Temperature can vary in a river due to what is happening up stream, the weather, sunlight, groundwater contributions and many other
factors. Temperature can even vary within the area that you are measuring today. Use the handheld test wands or other thermometers to
measure temperature in 3 locations in the river: _______ , _______ , _______ . Then calculate their average temperature:_______.
•
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). This test will analyze the conductivity of the water by measuring the presence of dissolved chemicals. Use the
handheld test wands to measure TDS in 3 locations in the river: _______ , _______ , _______. Then calculate their average TDS: ______.
•
pH is a measure of how basic or acidic the water is. The scale for this measurement goes from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is considered neutral while
anything below 7 is acidic and anything above 7 is basic. Use the handheld test wands to measure pH in 3 locations in the river: _______ ,
_______ , _______ . Then calculate their average pH: _______.
Collect a sample of river water to bring back to the classroom. Note the date and time of your sample and any observations of the water’s
appearance.
The following are optional tests that can be conducted in the classroom using the Hanna Instruments Water Quality backpack kit.
•
Dissolved oxygen (DO). _______________
•
Nitrates. _______________
•
Acidity _______________
•
Hardness _______________
•
Alkalinity _______________
•
Turbidity _______________
•
Carbon Dioxide _______________
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Station 5: Reflection (to complete after finishing all stations)
Task: Walk up and down the river along the edge of the park. Make note of its character (morphology) and habitat attributes (shading, woody
debris, over hanging vegetation, etc. Write a brief narrative that describes your observations.
Task: Describe four things you learned from this field trip.
Task: Describe three things you liked about the field trip.
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