Field Trip to North Fork | Missouri Master Naturalists

Nature Journal: North Fork River

Field Trip to North Fork River by Wanda Byrd
The 2005 master naturalist class went to North Fork Recreation Area (known locally as Hammond Mill) to practice what they learned about stream invertebrates and water quality monitoring. First, stream gravel from a riffle (a shallow fast moving area of water) is collected by kicking it into the net.
The gravel is then studied closely for tiny animals - stream invertebrates.	You need tweezers to sort out these tiny critters.
Testing a sample of river water for dissolved oxygen	A stray goose gets in on the lesson too!
Using a stick and a rope stretched across the stream to measure the depth of the water at different points all the way across. The goal is to measure the amount of water flowing in the stream.	North Fork Recreation Area is located off CC Highway in Ozark County, 16 miles from West Plains, in the North Fork Watershed
More on the North Fork Summer School on North Fork On June 22, 2005, a Stream Day was held on the banks of the North Fork River at Hammond Mill. Fifty-five fourth and fifth graders from West Plains Elementary School attended four sessions.
More on stream invertebrates and water quality monitoring: Stream Team Does Critters Water Quality Monitoring Demonstration Macroinvertebrate Lunch (Flash required)