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Dive In
© Wildlife Conservation Society
Ready to dive in to your watershed?
You've just studied the Bronx River
in pretty great depth. Now it's time to turn your attention to your
own watershed.
Consult the following report guides as well as the Research
Report Guidance Document to help you focus your research on your
favorite topic.
Vernal Pools
If you are doing a final report on
vernal pools in your watershed:
- Find out about collecting
laws for amphibians and other creatures that depend on vernal pools
in your state.
- Find out what frogs and salamanders are protected
and endangered by your state's endangered species list.
- Find
out how your state defines a vernal pool. (Some define them by such
physical characteristics as size and hydro-period. Others define them
by the wildlife species-such as Jefferson salamander and wood frogs-that
depend on them.)
- Find out the "indicator species"
for vernal pools in your state. (Those will be the species that depend
on vernal pools to provide them with critical part of their habitat).
*Special credit: Find a vernal pool in your watershed, or somewhere near you
and analyze it. Report on the condition of the vernal pool envelope
and how much critical habitat area it provides. What types of amphibians
could successfully use it as a breeding pool?
Runoff
If you are doing a final report on runoff in your watershed:
- Find out if the NRCS
is working on land-use project in your watershed.
- Find out
if a soil survey exists for your watershed.
- Find out the
major sources of runoff near you.
- Find out how much of your
watershed is permeable, how much is impermeable.
*Special credit:
If you can find out the percentage of impermeable and permeable surfaces
in your watershed--or one area of it--use the interactive Rainometer
in the curriculum to determine how much runoff is being caused every
time in rains near you. Then redesign your watershed--make some impermeable
areas permeable--and show how runoff could be reduced. Use the numbers
from the Rainometer to back up your plan!
Dissolved Oxygen
If you are doing a final report on dissolved oxygen in your watershed:
- Find out if you
can get your hands on water-quality data. Check with citizen's groups
and governmental agencies.
- Look for data on DO, temperature
and salinity. If so, you can use the Nomograph for your final report.
- Find out if poor quality is pressuring aquatic species. ·
Look into projects-such as adding plants to boost DO-that are designed
to raise DO levels.
*Special credit: If you can track down data on
DO, temperature and salinity; run it through the interactive Nomograph
provided in the curriculum. Write up your findings on DO saturation
levels and the kind of aquatic habitat that your local waters offer
fish.
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© 2004 Wildlife Conservation Society.
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