Macroinvertebrate Survey at Salmon Creek

Date: Thursday, June 25 (9:00 - 3:00)

Location: Meet at Harry Gardner Park in Toutle, WA

Description: Shredders, Collectors, and Scrapers, oh my! Join us as we dive into the world of aquatic macroinvertebrates (aka “stream bugs) at Salmon Creek. These small creatures can tell us a lot of information about the health of stream. We are monitoring macroinvertebrates at several of our current and future instream restoration sites to better understand how adding woody structures to streams improves water quality for fish and other aquatic organisms. By identifying and counting the types of macroinvertebrates present in the stream, we can generate an index of biotic integrity score. The higher the score, the healthier the stream.

No experience or background knowledge is required, just a desire to spend the day next to a stream to look at neat insects through a hand lens. This trip is appropriate for patient, bug-obsessed volunteers of all ages.

Work Conditions: We will be walking through timber units and navigating over obstacles and uneven terrain to access the site. We may walk in or alongside the stream to find sampling locations. We will spend the majority of our time in one location and we will find a comfortable place to sit to sort and identify macroinvertebrates.

Gear: Please bring appropriate layers for the weather, sun protection, insect repellant, a daypack to carry your gear in the field, and enough food and water for the day. You may find a trekking pole or walking stick useful for accessing the site. A lightweight camp chair or sit pad is strongly recommended. If you use reading glasses, you may find them useful for sorting macroinvertebrates. If you would like to collect samples, please bring rubber boots.

CFC will provide all the survey equipment, including hand lenses. We also have rubber boots available to borrow. Your registration confirmation will include a complete gear list and information on how to borrow boots. 

Transportation and Vehicle Access: Please contact us at trips@cascadeforest.org if transportation is a barrier to participation. We can arrange carpools if necessary. We will meet at Harry Gardner Park in Toutle, WA and caravan to Salmon Creek. We expect to encounter logging trucks while accessing our survey sites so we will get into fewer vehicles at the park to reduce traffic. Our work site is located on forest roads, several miles from the nearest paved road.

An Important Note about Communication: Please register with an email you check frequently. In the unlikely event that we need to change the meeting location or time or cancel the trip, we will contact you via the email on your registration. You will receive a confirmation email after registering. If you do not see it, please contact us at trips@cascadeforest.org.