Streams Assessments

ABSTRACT

What is the water quality in Covington Creek, Soos Creek, Jenkins Creek, Jenkins Pond Creek, and Jenkins Pond? Does the water quality meet or exceed the Washington State water quality criteria?

Several parameters were sampled at each sample site. The sampled parameters at each creek and pond site were temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, discharge, bank stability, and vegetation plots. Tests for the presence of nitrates and phosphates were also conducted. In addition to these tests, samples of benthic macroinvertebrates were collected.

The results for each test and each sample site exceeded the minimum criteria set by the Washington State Department of Ecology. However there are many steps that can be taken to insure the future quality of these creeks and ponds.

Introduction

Creek and pond reach assessments were sampled for Covington Creek, Soos Creek, Jenkins Creek, Jenkins Pond Creek, and Jenkins Pond. The location of Covington Creek is Sec.18T21NR6E. The date of the assessment was February 8, 2010, and the weather was clear with a temperature of 57 degrees. The location of Jenkins Pond is Sec.30T22NR6E. The date of the assessment was February 22, 2010. The weather was dry and sunny with a temperature of 64 degrees. The Location of the Jenkins Pond Cree is Sec.30T22NR6E. The date of this assessment was March 1, 2010 and the weather was overcast skies with a temperature of 57 degrees. The final assessment was Soos Creek and is located at Sec.16T21NR5E. The date of this assessment was March 1, 2010. The weather was overcast skies with a temperature of 60 degrees. All of these locations are located in King County and all streams and ponds are within the Green-Duwamish watershed.

Backgrou...

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...re measured using a densimeter. The herbaceous and woody percent coverage of the plot was also recorded.

For each stream reach four cross sections were also sampled. At each cross section the samplers performed a heel to toe test to check the consistency of the streams substrate. This test is performed by walking heel to toe accros the creek and picking up everything under the samplers toes. The results of the substrate were averaged by using a code silt=1, sand=2, gravel=3, cobble=4, and boulder=5. The samplers measured the width of the creek and the ordinary high water mark (OHWM). The samplers determined the amount of shade on the creek at each cross section.

Works Cited

-ept of ecology publication number -

www.ec.wa.gov/programs/wq/swqs/criteria-freshwater.wac173201a_200-temp.html

greenkingcounty.gov/wlr/waterres/streamsdata/watershedinfo.aspx?locator=A320