Science U
Stream Health Survey
Season 3 Episode 2 | 1m 52sVideo has Closed Captions
Can you tell if a stream is healthy?
We rely on healthy bodies of water to sustain our environment. Can you tell if a stream is healthy? Take the temperature, check the water clarity, and look for signs that your stream is supporting life around it with these activities.
Science U
Stream Health Survey
Season 3 Episode 2 | 1m 52sVideo has Closed Captions
We rely on healthy bodies of water to sustain our environment. Can you tell if a stream is healthy? Take the temperature, check the water clarity, and look for signs that your stream is supporting life around it with these activities.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipMENTOR: When I say science, you say "U".
Science!
CHILDREN: U!
MENTOR: Science!
CHILDREN: U!
NARRATOR: Today, campers are conducting a stream health survey with Brad and Tyler, the stream doctors.
Here's what we want to find out.
Is this stream healthy or unhealthy?
TYLER: Remember before you go in the water, this activity should have adult supervision.
We'll start with a question.
Is your stream warmer or colder than the air?
Put one hand in the water, and the other one straight up in the air.
How does the water feel?
STUDENT: It's COLD!
TYLER: A lot colder compared to the air, right?
Brad do we have an exact temperature yet?
BRAD: The duck says that our temperature of Spring Creek is 55 degrees.
TYLER: Our next question here has to do with water clarity.
Can you see through it?
Is it murky, a little cloudy?
STUDENT: Pretty clear, only a little bit of dust.
But you can't drink it.
It's not filtrated!
Right.
Now, we have to determine what's on the bottom of our stream.
STUDENT: Rocks.
TYLER: Rocks!
Do you see rocks, mud, or both?
There's probably mud and a lot of rocks.
BRAD: Next we're looking for life in the stream.
We're going to be looking for macroinvertebrates.
And you're going to get to go out into the stream with your group.
Look here in the riffles, under some of the rocks.
We found this little-- I think it's like a little water centipede.
It looks like a baby mosquito.
And finally, we'll look for wildlife and signs of wildlife near our stream.
Our observations point to a pretty healthy stream.
How are the streams in your neighborhood?
NARRATOR: Find stream health survey directions and checklist at science-u.org.
