SOS Salute

This salute is a warm thank you to all those BRFAL members who have or who are anticipating having frozen feet, frosty fingers and wet bellies. It is time for winter quarter “dips” for the BRFAL and SML Save Our Stream members who test the 17 sites monitored by the chapter.

Connie H and I completed two sites early in February, and because of our tight schedules, we worked on an overcast, mid-30’s afternoon. The temperature of one stream was a brisk 4 degrees Celsius, while the second registered at a balmy 5 degrees.  Happily, there was no wind or rain, but we did generate a few icicles!

The rewards of winter quarter dips are many. The water may be icy, but it is clear and often teeming with life. Each of our sites took only one dip to net more than 200 specimens: great news when lingering in the water is no pleasure! The diversity of creatures is a joy to behold, and we often see relatively high scores in the colder, more-oxygenated water. We usually have the stream site to ourselves, too!

Caddis fly larva at home in its case

Our sites scored well: Maggodee 10 out of 12 and Blackwater at Dillons Mill 9 out of 12. Both scores are considered acceptable water quality.

Find out more about Save Our Streams using the Volunteer Management System under the General Information/Projects tab. If you are interested in observing, joining or creating an SOS team you can discuss opportunities and locations with Geoff O.