From now on, every week or so we will write a story about the adventures of a “WATER DROP”. These “WATER DROPs” are regular pieces of paper cut into the shape of a drop and transformed into a colorful creation by the imagination of children in classrooms all over California, the US, and even the world. Each group of students that is following us by reading our journals, by having me come and present to them, or by participating in the webinars decorates their own WATER DROP and sends it to us in Antarctica with the regular postal system.
My address there is Tina Sander
McMurdo Station
Project #B-200-M
PSC 469 Box 800
APO, AP 96599-1035
We will use these “WATER DROPs” to help the kids make a connection to Antarctica, to help everyone learn about people supporting our expedition, and to explain in simpler words the science related to our research. In Antarctica, I plan on giving WATER DROPs to different support personnel. These people will take pictures of their “WATER DROP” and write about its adventures and lessons in Antarctica. I will post their stories here in the journals for the children and you to enjoy.
Our first WATER DROP story is from Kevin O’Connor, one of our researchers and divers, who took the first WATER DROP out in the field with him. He spent three days checking up on creeks in California that had been restored in various ways. Here is his story about his weekend at work with a WATER DROP made by Cabrillo College.
As you read it, answer these questions:
1. What is restoration?
2. Why do streams become unhealthy?
3. How do people fix the streams?
Making Creeks and Streams Healthy by Kevin O'Connor
Cara, Puka (my dog) and I set off on August 31st for southern California to visit six creeks and streams. Our mission was to see how healthy the creeks were after they had been restored by thoughtful people in the local community. Each one was restored in a different way. At each creek we collect information on the water in the stream and the habitat around the creek.
Here Kevin and the WATER DROP are collecting information on the water in the stream using a handheld computer with a probe in the water.
The drive down took us through the fertile Salinas Valley, where much of the lettuce and spinach for the entire country is grown! We passed by field after field, some red, others green.
Our first creek was in San Luis Obispo. The creek is on a military base where soldiers train. We met a scientist from the Moro Bay National Estuary Program at the base so we could drive out to the creek together. The creek is called Dairy Creek. Cows used to graze in the stream and eat all of the plants. This is bad because the plants clean the water and make shade for fish. The creek was restored by building fences along its edge. This keeps the grazing cows out of the stream. Now plants can grow again and clean the water and make shade for the fish.
Kevin, Cara, and a WATER DROP from Cabrillo College at Dairy Creek
After a delicious lunch at a small pizza parlor, we met up with another restoration specialist who took us to our second creek of the day. The second creek was in Moro Bay and is called Choro Creek. The restoration took place on a sharp turn in the creek. Here a steep wall of dirt was eroding into the creek. When lots of dirt erodes into a stream, it makes the water cloudy. Fish have a harder time finding food in cloudy water. Also, all of the dirt flows downstream and ends up in the Bay where it smothers eel grass. To restore this section of Choro Creek many trees were planted on the eroding hillside. This changed the direction of the stream. Now the fish can find food and the eel grass can grow again.
After finishing up at Choro Creek, Cara, Puka and I got back in the car. We drove south to El Capitan State Beach campground where we stayed for the night.
On the second day of our trip we went to three more streams where restoration had taken place. They were Carpinteria Creek, Arroyo Burro Creek, and Gaviota Creek.
At Carpinteria Creek a new bridge was built to help pedestrians cross the creek.
At Arroyo Burro Creek the creek had been in a cesspool under a large road. To help restore the creek, the cesspool was removed and new habitat was created for turtles, fish, and many types of birds.
Finally, at Gaviota Creek, large pools were made. The pools help migrating steelhead make their way up the creek to spawn. Before they could not go back to their homes to spawn. Now they can.
Kevin and the WATER DROP on the new bridge at Carpinteria Creek
Of the three creeks, Gaviota was the most beautiful. It is located right next to the freeway. However once you are down in the steam, it is very hard to tell that a big road is nearby. There are 6-foot tall cattails, large boulders, cottonwood and alder trees, grasses, and many deep pools. There were young fish swimming all around our feet as we collected information on the health of the stream. It was a wonderful way to end the day. After finishing up at our third site we got back in the car and drove north to Santa Maria where we stayed in a motel for the night.
Kevin, Puka, and the WATER DROP at Gaviota Creek.
On the morning of the third day we headed east, towards the drier parts of San Luis Obispo County. Our destination was the Cuyama River. In the distant past this had been a major river, where people needed ferries to cross. Thousands of fish used to spawn here every year. It is now only wet in the rainy times of the year and it only has very little vegetation. Much of the water that used to feed the stream is used for agriculture. Most of the plants in the river have been eaten by grazing cows. To restore a small section of the river, fences were built, like at Dairy Creek, to keep the cows out. At this river, however, there is an agreement with a local rancher. The agreement lets him bring his cows into the river during some times of the year.
After finishing up our last stream health assessment we got back in our car and headed home to Santa Cruz. It had been a great trip to southern California!
The next time you see a stream, think of Kevin and his creeks. Is the creek you see healthy? Is there anything that is making the stream unhealthy? What do you think researchers like Kevin could do to make it healthier?