Spring Creek - Part 3
Phone: 405-620-2004
E-mail: russ@riverman-engineering.com
Address:
1504 Ann Arbor Drive
Norman, Oklahoma 73069-5363
Contact Us:
Phone: 405-620-2004
E-mail: russ@riverman-engineering.com
“To put your hands in a river is to feel the chords that bind the earth together.”
Barry Lopez, Author
“Serious problems cannot be dealt with at the level of thinking that created them.” Albert Einstein
After the project was completed on September 10, 2000, Spring Creek experienced a major flood event before significant revegetation could occur to stabilize loose soils. The flow of this event greatly exceeded bankfull discharge and yet the site survived.
Upper end of downstream site –
looking downstream. (March, 2001).
Upper end of downstream site –
looking upstream. (March, 2001).
Lower end of downstream site –
looking upstream. (March, 2001).
Lower end of downstream site –
looking downstream. (March, 2001).
In March, 2001, roughly 1,400 trees were planted at the site including black locust, sycamore, green ash, Red Mulberry, Shumard Oak, Pecan, and Black walnut. Willow live stakes were attained and driven into the ground near the creek along the project. Cold and warm season grass species were mixed and broadcast at a rate of 10 lbs/ac throughout the project site. This was a collaborative effort involving OCCWQ staff, students from the Markoma Christian School science class and other volunteers. Pictures taken in July, 2001 show the site 4 months later.
Jim Leach (OCCWQ) talking to planting crew
(March, 2001).
Upstream site – looking downstream.
(March, 2001).
Upstream site – looking upstream.
(March, 2001).
Upper end of downstream site –
looking downstream. (July, 2001).
Lower end of downstream site –
looking upstream. (July, 2001).
Lower end of downstream site –
looking downstream. (July, 2001).
Upper end of downstream site –
looking upstream. (July, 2001).
Second cross-vane - downstream site
looking downstream. (July, 2001).
Second cross-vane - downstream site
looking upstream. (July, 2001).
Overflow channel - downstream site
looking downstream. (July, 2001).
Overflow channel - downstream site
looking upstream. (July, 2001).
Upstream site – looking downstream.
(July, 2001).
Upstream site – looking upstream.
(July, 2001).
For t he latest pictures of the site go to Spring Creek—4.
Habitat Assessment scores before and after project.
Fish Survey scores before and after project.
Pre and post-implementation habitat and biological sampling were conducted to assess the project impacts on stream health. In general, project sites exhibited significant and positive changes from pre-implementation surveys. Physically, water depth through the reaches doubled, total area of eroding bank decreased by approximately 75 percent, and total habitat scores improved for both sites.
Some of the greater impacts of the project were exhibited in the fish community. Both project sites exhibited more species and markedly higher total numbers of fish in the post-implementation surveys. Total number of pool species (sunfish, chub, sucker) increased by at least 2.4 times their previous abundance in both project reaches. The size composition of this group indicated multiple year classes, and young of year were found for all three. Although they don’t show up in the sureys, several large small mouth bass have been observed in the pools created by the project.
“The song of the river ends not at her banks but in the hearts of those who have loved her.”
Buffalo Joe
Spring Creek - 1
Spring Creek - 2
Spring Creek - 3
Spring Creek - 4
Spring Creek - 1 | Spring Creek - 2 | Spring Creek - 3 | Spring Creek - 4
|
|
LTSP Site 8/12/99 |
LTSP Site 6/21/01 |
RUNWAY Site 8/12/99 |
RUNWAY Site 6/21/01 |
|
Depth, Left qt. (m) |
0.14 |
0.32 |
0.22 |
0.51 |
|
Depth, Cntr. (m) |
0.27 |
0.50 |
0.46 |
0.85 |
|
Depth, Right qt. (m) |
0.21 |
0.71 |
0.32 |
0.56 |
|
Avg. depth (m) |
0.21 |
0.51 |
0.33 |
0.64 |
|
Width, Water (m) |
7.88 |
12.47 |
10.11 |
11.72 |
|
Width, Bank (m) |
43.94 |
28.24 |
43.28 |
29.72 |
|
% Eroded Bnk., Lft. |
8.82 |
0.00 |
8.33 |
0.00 |
|
% Eroded Bnk., Rt. |
90.29 |
40.00 |
65.28 |
23.89 |
|
Total Area Eroded Bank (m²) |
723 |
198 |
739 |
166 |
|
Habitat Score |
95.1 |
102.8 |
96.9 |
103.8 |
|
|
LTSP Site 8/12/99 |
LTSP Site 6/21/01 |
RUNWAY Site 8/12/99 |
RUNWAY Site 6/21/01 |
Total number |
260.0 |
869.0 |
407.0 |
592.0 |
|
Total spp |
10.0 |
14.0 |
15.0 |
17.0 |
|
Total darter/ madtom spp |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
Total No. Centrarchidae |
2.0 |
33.0 |
11.0 |
42.0 |
|
Total spp Centrarchidae |
1.0 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
|
Total No. Suckers |
0.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
20.0 |
|
Total spp Suckers |
0.0 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
2.0 |
|
Total No. pool spp |
24 |
62 |
35 |
84 |
|
Total % intolerant spp |
76.1 |
82.6 |
77.6 |
88.5 |
|
Total % tolerant spp |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
|
Total % omnivores |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|
Total % insectivores |
79.6 |
74.6 |
80.6 |
84.8 |
|
Total % top carnivores |
0.8 |
0.6 |
1.7 |
1.2 |