Explore the many interesting natural features of this creek and greenway. Learn about stream health, invasive plants, and cool creatures that live in the water. Gain a new appreciation for this local waterway and discover ways you can help protect it.
Sample Stories
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Storm Water Control Measure
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Do you see the rocky ditch between the paved path and the apartment parking lot? If you look towards the creek you’ll see more rocks piled together as well.
This is a stormwater control measure. Water from the parking lot and uphill of the apartment complex will collect into that rocky ditch and be funneled underneath the paved greenway towards the smaller rocky area by the creek. If there is a lot of rain, this area helps to store and filter that extra water before it could enter the waterway.
That more level ground causes the water to slow down so it won’t rush as fast into the creek, preventing some erosion. It also makes sure that the water can be filtered more efficiently by the rocks, trapping any trash and sediment that washed through them.
The people who live in these apartments of course need a place to park, but the impervious lot means water can’t be absorbed into the ground itself. Instead, It will quickly rush off the pavement, carrying pollution from the cars with it.
Having a type of stormwater control measure, or SCM as they're called for short, between the parking lot and the creek helps to lessen the impacts of the parking lot. The grassy areas allow the water to absorb into the ground and the rocks help filter the water.
This is a great example of developing for the needs of people while keeping the environment in mind as well. Maintenance of the SCM is important to keep it working though, so something you can do to help out, is clean up any trash that you see caught in the rocks! As you continue on the greenway, keep an eye out for other forms of Stormwater Control Measures.
Riffles
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As you Near the creek you’ll spot a grate in the grass. Walk towards it and you’ll see lots of rocks in the water. These rocks form riffles as the water moves over them ands as great habitat for macroinvertebrates.
Macroinvertebrates are small creatures that don’t have a backbone. This includes Crayfish and Snails, as well as the larval forms of other bugs like dragonflies, mayflies, and caddisflies. These creatures can actually tell you a lot about the health of a stream or creek. Some of them, like mayflies, are very sensitive to pollution so you won’t find them in water that's highly polluted. Others, like worms or black flies, are very tolerant to pollution and could make a living in almost any waters, no matter how clean or dirty.
By looking at the macroinvertebrate popullations in a local waterway, you can actually determine the health of that particular stream or creek. Take a moment to explore some of the bugs that live here in Reed Creek.
If you Carefully step down to the creek and flip over rocks you might find plenty of little macroinvertebrates sticking to the bottom. You can also look in the many packs of leaves that are stuck on the rocks or banks. Many macroinvetebrates love to eat leaves so these are a great place for them to hide. If you go in the water make sure to wear your shoes to protect your feet from sharp rocks and glass. And now we have a special guest who'd like to share a few more safety precautions.
Hi there kids, Sally the Salamander here, welcoming you to Reed Creek. While you're looking for me and my buddies, I just want to give you a couple of reminders to keep our stream and home healthy. Make sure that you watch your step realy carfully or else you might squish some of us. And if you pick up any rocks, make sure you put them back right where you found them, we need those to figure out where we're going. I hope you have fun playing around in our beautiful stream!
