One meeting weekly, 1- 5 pm, including one weekend trip to UMBS.
Graduate Student Instructor: Martha Carlson
Schedule (based on Monday 1-5 pm)

Sept 4. Week 0. Introduction

Sept 10. Week 1. Hydrology 1: Mapping of velocity (depth profile, cross-section), estimation of discharge by cross-section point measurements using line and tape. Determination of mean and maximum depths. Downloading of streamflow data to construct annual hydrograph and flow duration curve.

Sept 17. Week 2. Hydrology 2/Geomorphology 1: Mapping of wetted and bankful channel using transit and rod. Estimation of floodplain width at 2x bankful depth. Measurement of slope. Field estimation of Mannings coefficient. Pebble count. Collect and freeze water samples. Estimation of wetted channel and bankful flow using Mannings equation. Downloading of annual peak flows to estimate flood recurrence including Q1.5. Determination of Rosgen stream channel class.

Sept 24. Week 3. Geomorphology 2/Water Chemistry 1: Repeat week 2 mapping at a second stream site. Pebble count. Collect and freeze water samples. Field measurements with kits and meters. Estimation of wetted channel and bankful flow using Mannings equation. Downloading of annual peak flows to estimate flood recurrence including Q1.5. Determination of Rosgen stream channel class.

Oct 1. Week 4. Water Chemistry 2: Lab analyses of water samples (N, P, TSS, alkalinity, etc). Estimation of daily loads and yields using class data and of annual loads and yields using data provided. (This lab may be shifted to another date based on weather conditions.)

Oct 8. Week 5. Biological assessment: Collect macroinvertebrates using kick-nets, sort to family and count in field. Collect fish using back-pack shocker, sort to species and count in field. Estimate species richness and Shannon diversity for both groups, Hilsenhoff BI for macroinvertberates, IBI for fish.

Oct 15. Fall Break

Oct 22. Week 6. Habitat quality: Visual assessment protocols for instream habitat using EPA Rapid Bioassessment protocols, MDEQ’s Procedure 51, and additional measures of habitat types, wood, etc. Summarize habitat quality and channel units.

Oct 29. Week 7. Data synthesis: Students will work in small teams on subsets of data, synthesize all information, and explore possible interpretations as preparation for individual final assignments.

Nov 2-3-4. Fri 3pm thru Sun 7pm Week 8. UMBS field trip: (depart 3 pm Friday, return 7 pm Sunday). Make all measurements at two northern river sites. Summarize all calculations and estimations of hydrology, geomorphology, chemistry and biology in tables and graphs. Write an analysis comparing these results to those seen in southern rivers.

Nov 5 Week 9. Data synthesis: Students will work in small teams on subsets of data, synthesize all information, and explore possible interpretations as preparation for individual final assignments.

Nov 12. Week 10. Meet the bugs: mayflies and stoneflies

Nov 19. Week 11. Meet the bugs: caddisflies

Nov 26. Week 12. Meet the bugs: additional common benthic invertebrates

Dec 3. Week 13. Data synthesis: more data processing

Dec 10. Final paper due. Bug ID quiz.