Volunteer Data Interpretation

1. Volunteers and their Data ~ What We Know about Blue Thumb Streams

2. Stream Protection through Education ~ volunteers who monitor and educate the public

3. Blue Thumb volunteers collect information about streams. Blue Thumb is a nonpoint source education project.

4. Focus of presentation is streams.

5. Chemical monitoring and site observations

6. Fish collections Macroinvertebrate collections

7. Habitat Information

8. These different pieces of information fit together to give a good picture of a stream.

9. Volunteers gather data over months and years. The stream data is meaningful.

10. Stream data becomes MORE meaningful when you have a dependable comparison.

11. High quality streams have been designated for all Oklahoma ecoregions. High Quality Streams known to have high quality fish and macroinvertebrate populations, in-stream and riparian habitat, and water quality.

12. Blue Thumb staff works with volunteers to review stream data and compare it against the high quality streams.

13. Different fish and macroinvertebrate species have different abilities to tolerate pollution and habitat changes. How does the life in YOUR stream compare to the life in your ecoregion’s high quality streams?

14. Important – Volunteers can see trends, changes at their own sites.

15. Volunteers review data they have gathered and work with staff to produce reports.

16. Use information to educate citizens about local streams.

17. People want to know about local stream health. People can protect streams.

18. Also available: Data reports from the OCC Water Quality Division

19. Displays/exhibits News articles Presentations Creek cleanup events Watershed groups

20. Some streams need help… some streams are wonderlands of life.

22. Physical Habitat + Biological Community + Water Chemistry Stream Health

25. Physical Habitat

26. Physical Habitat

27. 87.9 Total Points 107.4 8.9 Streamside Cover 9.9 4.6 Bank Vegetation Stability 3.2 4.6 Bank Stability 9.3 0 Channel Sinuosity 12.3 8.7 Channel Alteration 13.7 15.6 Flow 1.4 10.3 Presence of Rocky Runs or Riffles 2.2 3.8 Canopy Cover Shading 16.5 16.5 Pool Variability 20 2.2 Pool Bottom Substrate 4 12.8 Instream Cover 14.9 Time 11-Aug-06 Date 07-Jun-06 Coffee Creek: Hwy 66 SiteName Delaware Creek: Hwy 97 Bridge OK520710-01-0090C WBID OK121300-01-0150M 36247 SAMPLEID

28. Coffee Creek: Hwy 66 Habitat Assessment 8/11/2006 87.9 High Pool Variability Flow Streamside Cover Moderate Instream Cover Presence of Rocky Runs or Riffles Channel Alteration Bank Stability Bank Vegetation Stability Low Pool Bottom Substrate Canopy Cover Shading Channel Sinuosity Delaware Creek: Hwy 97 Habitat Assessment 6/7/2006 107.4 High Pool Variability Canopy Cover Shading Channel Alteration Channel Sinuosity Streamside Cover Bank Stability Moderate Instream Cover Bank Vegetation Stability Low Pool Bottom Substrate Presence of Rocky Runs or Riffles Flow

29. Coffee Creek: Hwy 66 Habitat Assessment 8/11/2006 87.9 High Pool Variability Flow Streamside Cover Moderate Instream Cover Presence of Rocky Runs or Riffles Channel Alteration Bank Stability Bank Vegetation Stability Low Pool Bottom Substrate Canopy Cover Shading Channel Sinuosity Delaware Creek: Hwy 97 Habitat Assessment 6/7/2006 107.4 High Pool Variability Canopy Cover Shading Channel Alteration Channel Sinuosity Streamside Cover Bank Stability Moderate Instream Cover Bank Vegetation Stability Low Pool Bottom Substrate Presence of Rocky Runs or Riffles Flow Cross Timbers High Quality Reference 84.0

30. Physical Habitat + Biological Community Fish Bugs + Water Chemistry Stream Health Delaware Creek Coffee Creek

31. Fish Collection

32. We keep at least one specimen of all species in a jug of formalin to quality check our field identification.

33. Sometimes the fish are too big for the jug so we take a photo.

38. Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scoring criteria for fish. <18% 18-36% >36% Proportion individuals as lithophilic spawners <20% 20-45% >45% Proportion insectivorous cyprinid individuals >25% 10-25% <10% Proportion tolerant individuals <33% 33-67% >67% Number of intolerant species <33% 33-67% >67% Number of sunfish species <33% 33-67% >67% Number of sensitive benthic species <33% 33-67% >67% Number of species 1 3 5 Metrics

40. Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score interpretation for fish. Few species and individuals present; tolerant species dominant; diseased fish frequent E 20 – 37% Top carnivores and many expected species absent or rare; omnivores and tolerant species dominant D 47 – 57% Intolerant and sensitive species rare or absent C 67 – 73% Decreased species richness, especially intolerant species B 80 – 87% Comparable to pristine conditions, exceptional species assemblage A 97 – 100 % Attributes Condition % of reference

41. Physical Habitat + Biological Community Fish Bugs + Water Chemistry Stream Health Delaware Creek Coffee Creek

42. Benthic Macroinvertebrates (Bugs) Collect

43. Wash

44. Pick

46. You can compare a creek against itself over time.

47. You can document a drought.

48. Physical Habitat + Biological Community Fish Bugs + Water Chemistry Stream Health Delaware Creek Coffee Creek

49. Water Chemistry

54. Physical Habitat + Biological Community Fish Bugs + Water Chemistry Stream Health Delaware Creek Coffee Creek

55. A Tale of Two Creeks