Streamkeeper Report - November 2023

By Jim Sauter

Greetings from TCTU Streamkeepers.

“Autumn teaches us the beauty of letting go.  Growth requires release- it is what the trees do.”  Ka’ala, @alohakaala

We have just completed our third year of stream monitoring, and we expanded our WISEH2O chemical testing from three streams in 2021 to seven streams at eight sights near the metro area.  There are 24 volunteers helping with this effort and several other streamkeepers that are randomly testing other streams.  

One question that keeps recurring with members of our group and beyond is, “What is the value of stream monitoring?”  

In the words of a friend and retired water biologist, Kent Johnson, “Streams cannot speak for themselves.  We are the advocates and voice for streams.”  This is true of our TCTU Streamkeepers and more broadly, TCTU, MNTU and the TU organizations.  Our effort has enabled us to have more eyes and ears on our streams, helped us identify habitat issues, and we took snapshots of water chemistry especially after major rain events.  In the coming months, we will be evaluating how we may be able to improve our streamkeeping efforts for the future.      

Over the course of the summer, here are some interesting findings:

• Temperature ranges were from the 52's to the 68's.  Most streams maintained good cool water temperatures even during some of our warmest days.
• Ph was in the 6.5-8.5 range.  Trout were happy!
• Alkalinity was from 0 to 180
• Hardness was from 0 to 180
• Phosphorous levels were from 0 to 200.  These levels were fine in all streams.  This seems to be a bigger issue for lakes.
• Nitrate- was from 5 to 50...  our results confirm data from other sources that nitrate levels are generally high in many streams and even in groundwater.  We need to continue advocating for interventions in this area.
• Nitrite levels were from 0 to 3.0.
• We made several recommendations to the DNR and our habitat team on some stream issues such as beaver dams, erosion, tree barriers, buckthorn, etc. that needed to be addressed.

To get a better picture of what these numbers mean, go to the WISEH2O app our website.

Our first inaugural Streamkeeper Clean-up day was held at the South Branch of the Vermillion on October 28 and was a tremendous success.  Thanks to Doug Moran and the volunteers that helped with this effort.  We hope to expand on clean up days on other streams.  Please keep posted about these projects on the TCTU event page.

Targeted Streamkeepers
Our “targeted” Streamkeepers are monitoring Belle Creek, Eagle Creek, Hay Creek, Little Cannon, Mall of America Creek, South Branch Vermillion, and Trout Brook.  Below are some recent chemical readings on these streams.
 
Belle Creek

• Team of Dean Albrecht (Captain), Paul Frank, and Todd Hustad  
• October 8, 2023.   Water quality:  pH= 7.0 (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 0.0 (Low reading), Hardness= 60.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 20.0 (High), Nitrite= 0 (Good), Phosphorous= 0 (Good), Temperature = 54 degrees (high).  Water clarity was very clear, water level was baseflow, and there were no significant weather conditions to report.

Eagle Creek

• Team of Thor Benson and Southwest Christian High School students
• September 30, 2023.   Water quality:  Ph= 7.5 (Trout are happy), Alkalinity= 180 (good), Hardness= 180.0 (good), Water temperature= 59 degrees (trout are happy).  Water clarity was clear.  Water level was mid-stage.  There was a recent thunderstorm.

Hay Creek 

• Team of Mike Stinson (Captain), Keith Ketchmark, Josh O’Tool, Larry Olson, and Mitch Abbett
• October 4, 2023, 320th St.  Water quality:  pH= 9.0 (high), Alkalinity= 0 (fair), Hardness= 30 (fair), Nitrate= 2.0 (trout are happy), Nitrite= 0.0 (good), Phosphorous= 0 (good), Temperature= 52 degrees (trout are happy).  Clear water.  Bankfull stage level.  Regional rainfall.

Little Cannon

• Team of Hillary Pennalla (Captain), Rick Phetsavong, Ron Richardson, and Ginger Flaten
• October 5, 2023.  Water quality:  Ph= 7.0 (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 0 (low), Hardness= 60 (good), nitrate= 1.0 (good), nitrite= 0 (good), phosphorous= 0 (good), temperature= 57 degrees (moderately high), water clarity is murky, water level is bankfull, and there was regional rainfall.

Mall of America Creek

• Team of Harold Slawik and Veronica Bauer
• September 26, 2023.  Water quality:  Ph= 7.0 (Good), Alkalinity= 40 (Good), Hardness = 0 (Good), Nitrate= 50.0 (High), Nitrite= 150 (Good), Phosphorus= 0.0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 67 degrees (trout are happy), the water clarity was clear, the banks were at baseflow, and there was regional rainfall.
  

South Branch Vermillion

• Team of Doug Moran (Captain), Thomas Walkington (Captain), John Klesch, Matt Kleinheinz, Rowe Winecoff, and Joe Page
• The TCTU Trash Pickup Day Event of the South Branch of the Vermillion River was held on October 28.  Thanks to all that participated in this event!   
  
• October 6, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.0, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 120 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 20.0 (high), Nitrite= 1.0 (high), Phosphorus= 0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 51 degrees (trout are happy).  The water clarity was clear, level was baseflow, and there was no recent weather event.

Trout Brook

• Team of Matt Lowe (Captain), Dan Erickson, Andy McRae, and Rick Varco.
• August 7, 2023.  Water quality:   pH= 7.0 (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 40.0 (fair), Hardness= 0 (fair), Phosphorus= 100.0 (fair), Temperature= 54 degrees (trout are happy).  Water was clear with baseflow water level.

General Anglers
“General” Streamkeepers are busy conducting more random and spontaneous monitoring of streams in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

General Streamkeepers - Minnesota

Beaver Creek

• October 25, 2023.  Water quality:  Nitrate= 20.0 (high), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy), Phosphorus= 0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 50 degrees (trout are happy).  The water clarity was clear, level was baseflow, and there was regional rainfall.

Brown Creek

• October 10, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.5, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 80 (good), Hardness= 60.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 50.0 (Very High), Nitrite= .15 (Fair), Phosphorus= 0.0 (good).  

Cold Creek

• September 25, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.0, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 40 (good), Hardness= 0 (Fair), Nitrate= 1.0 (trout are happy), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy).  The water clarity was clear, level was baseflow, and there was regional rainfall.

Crooked Creek

• October 26, 2023.  Nitrate= 20.0 (High), Nitrite= 0 (Good), Phosphorus= 0.0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 57 degrees (trout are happy), the water clarity was clear, the banks were at baseflow, and there was regional rainfall.
  

Rice Creek

• September 30, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.5, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 180 (trout are happy), Hardness= 180.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 10.0 (High), Nitrite= .3  (fair), Phosphorus= 0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 60 degrees (trout are happy).  The water clarity was clear, level was baseflow, and there were no recent weather events.

South Fork Zumbro River

•  September 5, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 8.0, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 180 (trout are happy), Hardness= 180.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 5.0 (Fair), Nitrite= 0 (good), Phosphorus= 100 (good), Temperature= 76 degrees (High).  The water clarity was clear, level was baseflow, and there were no recent weather events.

Spring Valley Creek

• October 11, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.0, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 80 (trout are happy), Hardness= 60.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 50.0 (High), Nitrite=0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 45 degrees (trout are happy).  There were stream disturbances.
  

Trout Brook by Mazeppa

• October 17, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 8, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 120 (trout are happy), Hardness= 180.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 20.0 (High), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy).  Water clarity was clear and water level was baseflow.
  

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West Indian Creek

• October 15, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.5, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 180 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 10.0 (High), Nitrite= .3 (fair), Phosphorus= 0 (good), Temperature= 51 degrees (trout are happy).  The level was baseflow, and there were no recent weather events.
  

General Streamkeepers - Wisconsin

Allen Creek

• October 20, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.5, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 180 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 5.0 (fair), Nitrite=.15 (fair), Phosphorous= 200 (fair), Temperature= 56 degrees (trout are happy). The level was baseflow, water was clear, and there were no recent weather events.
  

Cook Creek

• October 11, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 8.0, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 120 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy).  The level was baseflow, and there were no recent weather events.
  

Dodge Branch

• October 11, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 9.0, (high, this is the highest pH entered all summer!), Alkalinity= 180 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 5.0 (fair), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy), Phosphorous= 0 (trout are happy).  The level was baseflow, water was clear, and there were no recent weather events.​

Maple Day Creek

• October 11, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.5, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 80 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 20.0 (high), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 55 degrees (trout are happy).  The level was baseflow, water was clear, and there were no recent weather events.
  

Seas Branch

• October 11, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 7.5, (trout are happy), Alkalinity= 120 (trout are happy), Hardness= 120.0 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 20.0 (High), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy), Phosphorus= 0 (good).  The level was baseflow, water was clear, and there were no recent weather events.

Vitterbo University

•  November 2, 2023.  Tap water.  Ph= 8.0.  Alkalinity= 180, Hardness= 180, Nitrate= 20 (High), Nitrite= 1.5 (High).
  

General Streamkeepers - Iowa
Hickory Creek

• September 10, 2023.  Water quality:  pH= 8.0 (trout are happy), Alkalinity = 120 (trout are happy), Hardness= 180 (trout are happy), Nitrate= 10 (High), Nitrite= 0 (trout are happy), Temperature= 52 degrees (trout are happy).  The water was clear, level was base flow, and there were no major weather events.