Visual Survey

Stream Location: Mill Creek

Date: 10/4/2010

Names: Mrs. Smith (Group 3)

A. Watershed Walk Survey

Circle the condition that best describes your stream segment for each category. Consider the 1-mile
area upstream of your stream segment as the watershed.

Excellent Fair/Good Poor

Category Condition Condition Condition
Little to moderate Bare dirt or completely
Undisturbed, good cover
Land use by the stream cover, some bare paved, maximum
all year
ground & some paved disturbance
Moderate erosion, some
No erosion, dirt is Severe erosion, exposed
Banks – erosion exposed dirt & some
covered, no evidence of dirt, obvious loss of soil,
cover, slight evidence of
soil loss soil loss, gentle slope steep slope
Moderate vegetation
Little or no vegetation,
Banks – vegetation Good vegetation cover problems at high flow
exposed dirt
time
Film or foam is
Water surface No slick, film or foam Slight film or foam
pronounced

Little color or slight loss Highly colored or low

Water color/clarity Clear water
of clarity clarity

Water odor No odor Slight odor Severe odor

Stream bed siltation No silt, no erosion Slight silt, some erosion Much silt, shows erosion

Overabundant algal
Algal growth in stream Moderate algal growth No algae
growth

Animal life Abundant Few None

Litter None Small amount Very common

Moderate, some Major – dams, pipes,

Human impacts in Little, seems natural
evidence of change road culverts, etc.
stream

B. Weather Conditions
 Check one:

Clear

Cloudy

Overcast
Did it rain or snow within last 24-48 hours?

Yes

No
Air Temperature: ºF

C. Stream Bed - Describe the material on the bed of the stream. Circle all materials you see on
the bed of the stream. Take clear pictures of the area so we can determine the percentage of each
back in the classroom.

Bedrock continuous rock that may be only partly exposed

Boulders separate, often embedded, over 25 cm across
Large cobbles 12–25 cm across
Small cobbles 6–12 cm across
Gravels 0.2–6 cm across
Sand 0.01–0.2 cm
Mud/silt fine and smooth, not gritty
Man-made structures covering the natural stream bottom
Woody debris fallen trees, branches, twigs and entrapped leaves
Water plants leafy water plants rooted into the stream bottom or the stream sides

D. Bank Vegetation - Describe the vegetation on the banks of the 10 meter stretch of your site.
Circle each type of vegetation you see on each side of the stream. Take clear pictures of the vegetation.
Back in the classroom we will use the pictures to estimate the percentage cover on each bank for each
category
Evergreen Trees Evergreen Trees
(coniferous) (coniferous)

Deciduous Trees Deciduous Trees

Wetland Vegetation Wetland Vegetation

Tall grasses Tall grasses

Scrub (weedy) Scrub (weedy)

Rock, gravel Rock, gravel

Grass and weeds Grass and weeds

Bare ground Bare ground

Building, yards, roads Building, yards, roads

Information adapted from Community Water Watch Participants Manual, Monroe County, NY
 Visual Survey

Stream Location: Mill Creek

Date: October 4, 2010

Names: Mrs. Burns 4th Grade

A. Watershed Walk Survey

Circle the condition that best describes your stream segment for each category. Consider the 1-mile
area upstream of your stream segment as the watershed.

Excellent Fair/Good Poor

Category Condition Condition Condition
Little to moderate Bare dirt or completely
Undisturbed, good cover
Land use by the stream cover, some bare paved, maximum
all year
ground & some paved disturbance
Moderate erosion, some
No erosion, dirt is Severe erosion, exposed
Banks – erosion exposed dirt & some
covered, no evidence of dirt, obvious loss of soil,
cover, slight evidence of
soil loss soil loss, gentle slope steep slope
Moderate vegetation
Little or no vegetation,
Banks – vegetation Good vegetation cover problems at high flow
exposed dirt
time
Film or foam is
Water surface No slick, film or foam Slight film or foam
pronounced

Little color or slight loss Highly colored or low

Water color/clarity Clear water
of clarity clarity

Water odor No odor Slight odor Severe odor

Stream bed siltation No silt, no erosion Slight silt, some erosion Much silt, shows erosion

Overabundant algal
Algal growth in stream Moderate algal growth No algae
growth

Animal life Abundant Few None

Litter None Small amount Very common

Moderate, some Major – dams, pipes,

Human impacts in Little, seems natural
evidence of change road culverts, etc.
stream

B. Weather Conditions
Check one:
 Clear

Cloudy

Overcast

Did it rain or snow within last 24-48 hours?

Yes

No

Air Temperature: ________________

C. Stream Bed
Describe the material on the bed of the stream. Circle all materials you see on the bed of the stream.
Take clear pictures of the area so we can determine the percentage of each back in the classroom.

Bedrock continuous rock that may be only partly exposed

Boulders separate, often embedded, over 25 cm across
Large cobbles 12–25 cm across
Small cobbles 6–12 cm across
Gravels 0.2–6 cm across
Sand 0.01–0.2 cm
Mud/silt fine and smooth, not gritty
Man-made structures covering the natural stream bottom
Woody debris fallen trees, branches, twigs and entrapped leaves
Water plants leafy water plants rooted into the stream bottom or the stream side

D. Bank Vegetation
Describe the vegetation on the banks of the 10 meter stretch of your site. Circle each type of
vegetation you see on each side of the stream. Take clear pictures of the vegetation. Back in the
classroom we will use the pictures to estimate the percentage cover on each bank for each category.
Evergreen Trees Evergreen Trees
(coniferous) (coniferous)

Deciduous Trees Deciduous Trees

Wetland Vegetation Wetland Vegetation

Tall grasses Tall grasses

Scrub (weedy) Scrub (weedy)

Rock, gravel Rock, gravel

Grass and weeds Grass and weeds

Bare ground Bare ground

Building, yards, Building, yards,

Information adapted from Community Water Watch Participants Manual, Monroe County, NY
 Visual Survey

Stream Location: Mill Creek

Date: 10/6/2010

Names: Miss Ballou’s Class

A. Watershed Walk Survey

Circle the condition that best describes your stream segment for each category. Consider the 1-mile
area upstream of your stream segment as the watershed.

Excellent Fair/Good Poor

Category Condition Condition Condition
Little to moderate Bare dirt or completely
Undisturbed, good cover
Land use by the stream cover, some bare paved, maximum
all year
ground & some paved disturbance
Moderate erosion, some
No erosion, dirt is Severe erosion, exposed
Banks – erosion exposed dirt & some
covered, no evidence of dirt, obvious loss of soil,
cover, slight evidence of
soil loss soil loss, gentle slope steep slope
Moderate vegetation
Little or no vegetation,
Banks – vegetation Good vegetation cover problems at high flow
exposed dirt
time
Film or foam is
Water surface No slick, film or foam Slight film or foam
pronounced

Little color or slight loss Highly colored or low

Water color/clarity Clear water
of clarity clarity

Water odor No odor Slight odor Severe odor

Stream bed siltation No silt, no erosion Slight silt, some erosion Much silt, shows erosion

Overabundant algal
Algal growth in stream Moderate algal growth No algae
growth

Animal life Abundant Few None

Litter None Small amount Very common

Moderate, some Major – dams, pipes,

Human impacts in Little, seems natural
evidence of change road culverts, etc.
stream
 B. Weather Conditions
Check one:

Clear

Cloudy

Overcast
Did it rain or snow within last 24-48 hours?

Yes

No
Air Temperature: ºF

C. Stream Bed - Describe the material on the bed of the stream. Circle all materials you see on
the bed of the stream. Take clear pictures of the area so we can determine the percentage of each
back in the classroom.

Bedrock continuous rock that may be only partly exposed

Boulders separate, often embedded, over 25 cm across
Large cobbles 12–25 cm across
Small cobbles 6–12 cm across
Gravels 0.2–6 cm across
Sand 0.01–0.2 cm
Mud/silt fine and smooth, not gritty
Man-made structures covering the natural stream bottom
Woody debris fallen trees, branches, twigs and entrapped leaves
Water plants leafy water plants rooted into the stream bottom or the stream sides

D. Bank Vegetation - Describe the vegetation on the banks of the 10 meter stretch of your site.
Circle each type of vegetation you see on each side of the stream. Take clear pictures of the vegetation.
Back in the classroom we will use the pictures to estimate the percentage cover on each bank for each
category
Evergreen Trees Evergreen Trees
(coniferous) (coniferous)

Deciduous Trees Deciduous Trees

Wetland Vegetation Wetland Vegetation

Tall grasses Tall grasses

Scrub (weedy) Scrub (weedy)

Rock, gravel Rock, gravel

Grass and weeds Grass and weeds

Bare ground Bare ground

Building, yards, roads Building, yards, roads

Information adapted from Community Water Watch Participants Manual, Monroe County, NY
 Visual Survey

Stream Location: Mill Creek

Date: October 6, 2010

Names: Mrs. Coene’s 4th Grade

A. Watershed Walk Survey

Circle the condition that best describes your stream segment for each category. Consider the 1-mile
area upstream of your stream segment as the watershed.

Excellent Fair/Good Poor

Category Condition Condition Condition
Little to moderate Bare dirt or completely
Undisturbed, good cover
Land use by the stream cover, some bare paved, maximum
all year
ground & some paved disturbance
Moderate erosion, some
No erosion, dirt is Severe erosion, exposed
Banks – erosion exposed dirt & some
covered, no evidence of dirt, obvious loss of soil,
cover, slight evidence of
soil loss soil loss, gentle slope steep slope
Moderate vegetation
Little or no vegetation,
Banks – vegetation Good vegetation cover problems at high flow
exposed dirt
time
Film or foam is
Water surface No slick, film or foam Slight film or foam
pronounced

Little color or slight loss Highly colored or low

Water color/clarity Clear water
of clarity clarity

Water odor No odor Slight odor Severe odor

Stream bed siltation No silt, no erosion Slight silt, some erosion Much silt, shows erosion

Overabundant algal
Algal growth in stream Moderate algal growth No algae
growth

Animal life Abundant Few None

Litter None Small amount Very common

Moderate, some Major – dams, pipes,

Human impacts in Little, seems natural
evidence of change road culverts, etc.
stream
B. Weather Conditions
Check one:

Clear

Cloudy

Overcast

Did it rain or snow within last 24-48 hours?

Yes

No

Air Temperature: ________________

C. Stream Bed
Describe the material on the bed of the stream. Circle all materials you see on the bed of the stream.
Take clear pictures of the area so we can determine the percentage of each back in the classroom.

Bedrock continuous rock that may be only partly exposed

Boulders separate, often embedded, over 25 cm across
Large cobbles 12–25 cm across
Small cobbles 6–12 cm across
Gravels 0.2–6 cm across
Sand 0.01–0.2 cm
Mud/silt fine and smooth, not gritty
Man-made structures covering the natural stream bottom
Woody debris fallen trees, branches, twigs and entrapped leaves
Water plants leafy water plants rooted into the stream bottom or the stream side

D. Bank Vegetation
Describe the vegetation on the banks of the 10 meter stretch of your site. Circle each type of
vegetation you see on each side of the stream. Take clear pictures of the vegetation. Back in the
classroom we will use the pictures to estimate the percentage cover on each bank for each category.
Evergreen Trees Evergreen Trees
(coniferous) (coniferous)

Deciduous Trees Deciduous Trees

Wetland Vegetation Wetland

Vegetation
Tall grasses
Tall grasses
Scrub (weedy)
Scrub (weedy)
Rock, gravel
Rock, gravel
Grass and weeds
Grass and weeds
Bare ground
Bare ground
Building, yards,
roads
Information adapted from Community Water Watch Participants Manual, Monroe County, NY