Students Use Insects to Monitor Local Stream

By Jamie Vaughan

Creative Technologies Academy (CTA) students have been working with Trout Unlimited to analyze their local water resources.

The high school, located within the Rogue River watershed in Cedar Springs, boasts a coldwater trout stream in their backyard. Science teacher James Fredenburg enlisted the help of local TU staff to get his students out of the classroom and into their stream.

On a recent Monday, Trout Unlimited staff worked in the classroom with the 9^th and 10^th grade students on watershed ecology, stormwater runoff pollution and macroinvertebrate monitoring for water quality.

The next day, the high schoolers were able to get outside and get their hands dirty in the field. The stretch of the creek that was sampled includes some in stream habitat and restoration work installed by Trout Unlimited. The students spent the day sorting through their samples and identifying the insects they found, among which a great diversity of bugs was found, including caddisfly, mayfly and stonefly nymphs.

After analyzing their data, the stream section got a water quality score of EXCELLENT.

Trout Unlimited and CTA students alike were very happy to see such high quality in a local urban trout stream that provides cold groundwater and refuge for trout populations in the Rogue River.

CTA is among many schools collecting water quality data in Cedar Springs and across the watershed. Trout Unlimited is very thankful for the dedication of their local teachers and students to support the Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative project.

The Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative Project is funded by the Frey Foundation, Grand Rapids Community Foundation, the Wege Foundation, the Wolverine World Wide Foundation, and the Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited.

Jamie Vaughan is Trout Unlimited’s Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative Coordinator.