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Learner Outcomes

Students will measure and calculate suspended and bedload sediment for a local stream.
Students will graph sediment data for Mill Creek.
Students will correlate climate data to sediment/stream flow data for Mill Creek.
Students will make predictions for 1997 and current year based on current climate conditions.
Students will compare and analyze stream sediment data for three consecutive years at Mill Creek.
Students will locate, analyze and graph watershed information for Mill Creek and their local area.

Lesson Overview

Stream sediment data is an indicator of activities in a water shed. Sedimentary geologists take samples of specific sites along streams in order to monitor watershed activities and make recommendations for best land use. The higher the streamflow energy, the greater the suspended sediments in a given stream will be. Human activities affect the environment in a number of ways. Monitoring the influence of these interventions on the environment is necessary to protect the ecosystem.

Concept Introduction

1. Brainstorm and list ways people use water resources. How are humans dependent on water for living and working?

2. Surface water in the United States has many important usages. These can be classified as:
a. domestic or public water use, which includes: homes, sewers, buildings, firefighting, parks, etc.
b. manufacturing and mining water use, which includes: industry, transportation, power generation, etc.
c. agricultural water use, which includes: crops, livestock, irrigation, etc.

In groups, students should create a collage from magazine and newspaper resources which includes pictures and articles relating to each of these water usages.

3. Discuss how people have affected their water resources. How does water quality affect our lives? Why is it important to monitor water resources? How do scientists measure and monitor changes in water resources?

Using an Internet connection, go to "Brunette River Watershed" site:

This site discusses the impact urbanization has had on the Brunette River. Scientists have been monitoring this river because of it's importance to the people who live in the region. Discuss water resources and their usages in your local area. What problems exist?

4. Explore internet resources concerning groundwater and surface water.

The U.S. Geological Survey has several sites and maps which gives information on hydrology, including current national streamflow conditions and groundwater studies. Hydrology is the study of water resources and their relationship with the environment. Another site is maintained by Purdue's Environmental Education program. It includes a multi-media presentation on groundwater that includes background vocabulary, information, graphics and pictures. You may also want to check out NMP's mountain environments resource page for other sources.

Concept Exploration

Investigating a Watershed

This section will explore the Upper Yellowstone Watershed district (USGS Cataloging Unit 10070002) and data obtained from Water Quality Monitoring.

1. Locate the Mill Creek region on a regional or state map (20 miles south of Livingston, Montana) and the Upper Yellowstone Drainage Watershed. Mill Creek is located just northeast of the upper-western most corner where Wyoming meets Montana. Yellowstone park is just south of the region and the Yellowstone river flows through here. Geographic information is:
Approximate latitude: 45 N
Approximate longitude: 110 W

To help in this activity, you will need topographic maps for both Montana and Wyoming. (key)
 

Montana(700kb)

Click on icons to see larger images. May take a few minutes.  (Images courtesy of USGS)

Wyoming(189kb)

Discuss geographic features. The creek site this activity will explore is located in the Gallatin National Forest.
Ask students, based on this information, to draw pictures of what they can conclude about the region based on the maps and information given.

2. Using the EPA's "Surf Your Watershed" site, gather information about the Upper Yellowstone Watershed.

Go to the main site and choose the "locate your watershed" option.  Next, select the "places" option to search database. Enter in the feature: "Mill Creek" and the state: "Montana", then submit the inquiry. Leave all other fields as they are.

Results will show several places. The site we are interested in for this study is the "Mill Creek Camp and Picnic Ground" near Knowles Peak. Select this feature.

The results of the search will give more detailed information about this location and includes links which will provide in depth information about this feature.

Choose "Show Feature Location" to bring up a map of the region. Zoom-in for a detailed map. Return to previous Feature Detail page.

Choose "Find the Watershed". This page provides important information links. But first, note the HUC
(Hydrologic Unit Code) for this watershed, 10070002. The entire United States is divided into HUC's for watershed information purposes. The numbers are coded by river network, region, etc.
Note the map and links for HUC 10070002.

This page provides a wealth of information about the region. Discuss with students the land uses of the region as shown on this link:

Land Area: 2,930.94 sq. miles
Land Perimeter: 317.67 miles

Area in human use (urban & agri): 17.26%
Area in forest use: 60.99%
Area in crop use: 17.15%
Area with high erosion potential: 4.81%

Using a spreadsheet program, enter the "Land Use" data and construct a circle graph for the land use of this region. How does this compare with the conclusions drawn from the map activity?

From this site, under "Water," select: "Water Uses."

This link provides information from 1990 for the Water Use of this region. Review information in the first section which shows water withdrawals. Note most of the water withdrawals are from surface water use. Review, discuss and summarize usage of the local water resources. From the information given, water is used primarily for irrigation. No water is used for mining or power generation. Little for commercial or livestock purposes. Compare the Water Use information to the Land Use information gathered in the previous step. What does this information tell us about the region? Why would it be important to monitor local water resources?

3. The Forest Service monitors Water Quality in Mill Creek and other areas on a regular basis. Sediment data for a river or creek is an indicator of activities in the watershed. For example, water flowing with more energy (swifter), will hold more sediments. Below are links for the Mill Creek Water Quality Data field reports for 1994, 1995 and 1996. Data is given for site 7, which is located in the vicinity of the Knowles Peak site.

From the 1994 Report

From the 1995 Report

From the 1996 Report

Have students work cooperatively to construct a line graph for the data each year. (Let the horizontal axis represent the date, the vertical axis represent the sediments). Analyze and discuss the patterns seen. Each year shows a peak. Hypothesize what causes that peak. Is the information the same for each year? The peaks are caused by snowmelt and spring rain runoffs.

Construct a bar graph to compare each year's averages. What conclusions can be made?

Below are comments from the 1996 report:

"Sediment yields in 1996 were affected by high snowpack and snowmelt runoff which was concentrated in mid-June 1996 during the same time the Yellowstone River was at record levels in Livingston....... The Spring 1996 is the highest snowpack on record in several NRCS snow gages in the Yellowstone River drainage. Spring 1996 precipitation (April-June) was also above average.

How were the streamflow factors affected by the snow and rain amounts in 1996? Can a correlation be seen?

4. Compare precipitation totals for the region to stream discharge. Climate data can be obtained here.

Amount of precipitation per month in Livingston, MT and Mammoth, WY (Yellowstone National Park) for the years 1994, 1995 and 1996 (in inches):

Compare the precipitation records to the stream discharge. What correlation, if any, is evident?

Look at data for the 1997 Spring at the Wyoming Natural Resources Conservation Service.

What would the expected results be for streamflow at the Mill Creek site?

5. The U.S. Geological Survey site keeps records of streamflow. Explore this year's streamflow for the station nearest Mill Creek. Clicking on the above link will bring up a map of the United States. Click on the selection "10 nearest selections" under the map, and then choose and click on the station located nearest Mill Creek: (Note that Mill Creek will not be a selection; just pick the station(s) nearest it.)

Another route to finding information is to go from Montana's Water Resource page and choose: "Realtime Streamflow Data" under the Hydrologic Data heading.

A third way would be to click on the map; then click on the correct location:

Review, examine and discuss all of the graphs and data you have gathered. Check the streamflow data for locations upstream and downstream. What patterns and trends are seen? Have students graph and analyze the data. For extension exercises, USGS also has archived data for Montana streams and rivers (listed by county).

Concept Applications

1. Collect sediment from a local stream. Measure, record and graph data.

To collect suspended sediments, use 3 L. soda bottle and place on stream bottom until filled with water.
Using a coffee filter, strain the water to collect sediment. Let the filter dry then weigh and divide by 3 to get the milligrams per liter.

To collect bedload sediments, use a 3 inch can with panty hose attached.
Put the can at the bottom of the stream for 10, 2 minute samples (total of 20 minutes).
Dry out pantyhose and weigh. Compute grams per day of sediment by using
the formula:

grams X stream width in inches X sample minutes = g/day 1440 (min/day)

Collect data samples once a week for a month and graph. Keep a log of water conditions during the time period (level, swiftness, etc.). Collect precipitation data over this period and correlate to stream sediments. Discuss.

2. Internet applications:

Using the "Surf Your Watershed" site, find information about your local watershed. How is water used in your area? How is land used? Compare your local watershed to other areas. Find the topography maps and/or DEM maps for your watershed. What conclusions can be made?

Using the USGS "Streamflow" site, examine streamflow data for a stream in or near your watershed.