Upper Gunpowder Falls Watershed Brook Trout Conservation Partnership Temperature Logger Deployment

It's once again time for MDTU to deploy stream temperature loggers in support of the Upper Gunpowder Falls Watershed Brook Trout Conservation Partnership (for information on all aspects of the Partnership's work, plan to attend Scott Scarfone's presentation at the MDTU General Meeting March 20th!). RSVP for 3/20 Meeting Here

(Separate RSVP details for the 4/27 field volunteer activity is below.) 

For those new to this event, our stream temperature loggers record water temperature at specific time intervals (per minute, per hour, etc.) and the Partnership is utilizing data collected to develop a thermal map of stream temperatures. Ultimately, this map will give the Partnership a better understanding of current and potential brook trout habitat across the watershed for use in conservation endeavors. MDTU volunteers have donated their time and effort since 2016 to strategically deploy and recover loggers in the Spring and Fall.

This year's re-deployment event will occur Saturday April 27th from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM. 

Please notify me by email at anabors@eqrllc.com if you're planning to attend as we'll need an accurate number of volunteers for the afternoon's activities.

What to Bring:

• Waders or hip boots, hat, weather specific clothing, sunscreen, etc. (Dress like you're going fishing!)
• A Smartphone with the downloaded app GPS Finder (it's free).  This app will allow you to collect accurate GPS points from your individual logger deployment locations.  If you don't have a smartphone, we'll pair you with another team member who does.
• A navigation device (smartphone, GPS, road map, etc.).
• A digital camera and cables for offloading photos (smartphone works here too).
• A notepad and pen.
• Work gloves.
• Water and snacks necessary for an afternoon in the field.

Where to meet:  

A Field Operations office will be setup for the day at Christmas Tree Park in Manchester, MD.  This is where we'll meet to separate into crews, assign logger locations, and distribute equipment for logger deployment.  Please plan to be here by 12:30 PM on Saturday, April 27th.  The Park address and a Google Maps hyperlink is listed below.

• Christmas Tree Park - 3383 Christmas Tree Lane, Manchester, MD 21102 -https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6641711,-76.8787736,16.41z?hl=en

Detail of Activities

12:30 - All volunteers arrive at Christmas Tree Park

• 12:30 to 1:00 - Crew members are introduced and receive their equipment (loggers, housings, t-posts, cable ties, hammer, logger deployment worksheet, etc.)
• 1:00 to 1:30 - Adam Nabors will give a final 'walk-through' of logger deployment, answering any last minute questions or concerns.
• 1:30 to 3:00 - Crews travel to their individual sites for logger deployment.  Once a crew's loggers have all been deployed, they will return to Christmas Tree Park.
• 3:00 - All crews should be back to Christmas Tree Park.
• 3:00 to 3:30 - Crews offload data collected regarding individual logger deployment (GPS points, photos of logger installed, relevant site notes, etc.) and turn in equipment.
• 3:30 - All done (go fishing)!

Thanks to all for your willingness to continue this amazing project, and I'm excited for another season of data collection!

Best,

Adam Nabors