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WELCOME TO THE SRBA GALLERY OF
PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD
FEATURING:

2002 ENVIRONMENTAL HABITAT STUDIES
OF
AUDS, BIG SANDY,CUTHAND,DAYS, HICKORY, KICKAPOO AND LITTLE MUSTANG CREEKS.

AUDS CREEK
Auds Creek Transect 1 upstream
 Auds Creek Transect 1 right bank  
 
Stream physical characteristics such as vegetation composition, stream substrate, percentage of erosion potential, bank slope and percent of canopy cover are used in assessing habitat quality.
Measuring stream flow with a Marsh-McBirney electronic meter. Stream flow measurements are always recorded in conjunction with water sampling as well as biological and habitat assessments.
   
  Auds Creek Transect 2 upstream
To measure stream flow, the stream is typically divided into 20 cross sections. Depth and water velocity is measured at the mid point of each cross section. The area of each cross section is then multiplied by velocity to calculate flow. Flow of each cross section is added together to calculate total stream flow.
 
 
BIG SANDY CREEK

  
  Transect 4 downstream  
 
Flags are used to mark transects of habitat assessments. Flags are helpful in the event that assessment needs to be repeated at a later date.
Flow is usually measured once at each station, but profile data (width and depth) is gathered at each transect.  
 

CUTHAND CREEK

  
  Cuthand Creek Transect 3 downstream Cuthand Creek  
Shocking proceeds from a downstream position to an upstream position, with volunteers netting as they follow the person shocking, this way stunned fish are swept downstream toward the nets. Species diversity and composition is useful in assessing the aquatic life use of the stream. The volunteers taking part in stunning fish with a backpack electroshocker always carry appropriate permits from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.



DAYS CREEK

 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Days Creek TS2us
Transect 2 upstream 		Little Mustang Creek
Recording stream flow with Marsh-Mcbirney
Net for collecting benthic macroinvertebrates, staff of Marsh-McBirney electronic flow meter for recording stream flow, Data Sonde(inside white bucket) for recording basic water quality parameters such as temperature, pH,dissolved oxygen, and buckets and gloves for electroshocking.
Recording stream flow with a Marsh-McBirney, standing downstream and off to one side so not to affect flow readings.  
 

HICKORY CREEK

  
  Recording stream flow Hickory Creek  
  Recording stream characteristics, width and depth, at this transect. Photographs are taken to document each transect. Stream width, depth and velocity is recorded to calculate discharge in cubic feet per second.  
KICKAPOO CREEK
Kickapoo Creek
Preparing tools for study
Transect 1 downstream
 Preparing to measure stream flow, seine for fish, taking field parameters and documentation involved in Habitat Assessments.
Electroshocking for fish

 

Fish are collected in two ways at each site, shocking and seining. Each technique may be more or less effective at catching a representative sample of the fish community depending on streambed characteristics.
For more information on how to volunteer in the Sulphur River Basin Clean Waters Program call: (903) 223-7887
or write to:
Sulphur River Basin Authority
911 N. Bishop Street
Suite C-104
Wake Village, Texas 75501