stream conservation thoughts for central AZ

[Ruffin' It]

My girlfriend has a class project for Biology course that is supposed to focus on water issues. She was thinking that the streams that we encountered on this year's Expedition Trophy would make a great backdrop for the assignment. Since there are a number of people who hold that region near and dear, I was wondering if anyone here would like to contribute any thoughts and/or direction to the project?
Thanks in advance,

Tyler

 

[Pad]

What about doing a 'clean-up' on a section of creek/stream that you encountered? This may show the types of debris found in local waterways, how this effects the water/environment/habitat, and what to do to correct the issue's. Corrections include: Not throwing trash on ground (carry a bag for your own trash while out in nature), picking up trash you find while out on your own activities, or participate in local clean up efforts. OK enough ramblings, hope this helps!

Pad

 

[Ursidae69]

I don't think that streams in that area have fish, I could be wrong though. Lots of things she could look at. She could focus on habitat use near active crossings versus more remote areas, or invertebrates, or water quality, etc.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

There are fish in the Hassayampa right where everyone drives through it. They're obviously surviving (so far), and I didn't catch any to identify if they were natives, or introduced mosquitofish. I strongly suspect the latter, but you never know.

I think it would make an excellent project.

 

[Trail Monkey]

I don't think that streams in that area have fish, I could be wrong though. Lots of things she could look at. She could focus on habitat use near active crossings versus more remote areas, or invertebrates, or water quality, etc.

although jonathan above is quite qualified to verify a fish sighting... I second that i saw small fish in the river on the expo trophy trip..

 

[Ursidae69]

Cool! Glad to know that there are fish there! :REOutIceFishing:

 

[awalter]

From a Tread Lightly perspective & in hind sight, the Expo Trophy encampment had too many folks camped too close to the water source. The fact that it is a reparian area, we should not have used the creek/river bed as an access point, but come down the hill from the graded road. Just because many other folks drove up or down the river bed, doesn't make it OK to do from a Tread Lightly perspective. I was also guilty, again in hind sight.

 

[1leglance]

A very good point and one that I admit to thinking about but not being willing to take a stand on...
Here in the southwest driving through water is such a rare thing that we seem to set aside what we know is right for the fun factor...I am guilty and I think with some group encouragement we can support each other to make changes before the changes get made for us by outside folks.

Events like the Trophy are very tough due to the impact and we as a group might have to make a choice to keep them small in order to stand behind what we say.

Maybe having more events a year spread out would let more people join in but have less impact.

Great point Al and thanks for saying it...I was hiding in shame

 

[Ruffin' It]

Thanks to everyone for the ideas/encouragement. She is on the project. Soon the world will know all about that stream and the effects of human activity on it. :26_7_2: