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The Big RiverEcosystem

Teacher’s Guide

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INTRODUCTIONWelcome back to the aquatic world of R ick H ill. T his visit is not for the feint of heart nor

the weak swimmer. We are venturing into the exciting world of the B ig R iver: deep, mysteri-ous, and home to big fish. We could put a specific river’s name on it but in essence it could beone of several rivers. Pick one; it may flow next to your town, your school, your home.

Big rivers are the end result of very large scale watersheds. Just as rainfall runs from theroof of our home or school, it is “shed” by the earth. T he rate it flows into streams is deter-mined by degree of vegetative cover, slope of the land, and human land uses. E ach area whichdrains rainfall into a given stream is defined as that stream’s watershed. T herefore, a big river’swatershed includes all land which drains water into feeder streams and rivers which flow intothat river. T he M ississippi watershed is the largest of the U nited States as it includes that landmass which drain into the M issouri, O hio, Tennessee, and A rkansas rivers to name but a few.

T he basic goal of the aquatic ecosystem poster ser ies is to educate all people onthe impor tance of healthy aquatic systems and their relationship to l ifelong aquaticrecreation. T herefore, this guide will stress positive aspects of what we recognize as nationalbiological treasures. W hen students receive a negative picture of one portion of the environ-ment, they may give up and look for something where their generation can make a difference.By informing and exciting them about “mysteries of the deep”, perhaps the rivers of K entuckywill be that environmental challenge they will want to answer. To maintain balance, a realitysection will be included to give teachers factual answers to anticipated questions about our bigrivers as we enter the 21st century.

T here are four teaching sections in this teacher’s guide. First, each species featured on theposter is identified by common and specific name for users. Next, we establish large scalewatershed concepts and how each segment of a watershed contributes to the B ig R iver. T heancient fish section is intended to call attention to this unique group of fish and what is happen-ing with them today. Finally, we illustrate human interactions with rivers and the economicimportance of these rivers to our nation.

For K entucky teachers, at least one K E R A Academic E xpectation from K entucky’s C ur-riculum Framework has been included for each activity. T his is to illustrate the broad range ofexpectations that could be taught using individual activities or combinations. W hile oneexpectation is included, many others could be included. To improve our ecosystem efforts,please fill out the evaluation on the next page and return it to the address listed. Additionalteaching ideas are requested and will be included in future publications of this teacher’s guidewhen received. Send all comments to:

A quatic E ducation A dministratorK Y D epartment of Fish and W ildlife R esources

# 1 G ame Farm R d.Frankfort K Y 40601

(502) 564-4762/FA X (502) 564-6508/e-mail lnelson@ mail.state.ky.us

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Name: ________________________ Grade taught: ___________________School: ________________________ Phone: ___________________Address: ________________________ e-mail _______________________________

________________________

1. I received my Big River Ecosystem poster and teacher’s guide from the following source.______________________________________________________________________________

2. On a scale of one to ten, please evaluate the poster in comparison to similar materials youhave received.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3. What did you like most or least about the poster to rate it as you did?______________________________________________________________________________

4. How have you used this poster?______________________________________________________________________________

5. On a scale of one to ten please evaluate the teacher’s guide you received in comparison to othersimilar products?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6. What did you like most or least about the teacher’s guide to rate it as you did?______________________________________________________________________________

7. What other aquatic related materials would you find useful in your class or youth group?______________________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS (PLEASE INCLUDE HERE ANY ACTIVITIES YOU HAVEDEVELOPED FROM THIS POSTER):

I REQUEST THE FOLLOWING:_____ Contact me with Project WILD training opportunities._____ Place me on a mailing list for future materials._____ Please send _____ extra copies for teachers at my school._____ Other

EVALUATION

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COMMON AND SPECIFIC NAMES,For position, refer to graphic on poster.

COMMON NAME SPECIFIC NAME1. Midge Chaoborus spp2. Green darner dragonfly Anax junius3. Osprey Pandion haliaetus4. Ring-billed gull Larus delawarensis5. Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax6. Cottonwood Populus deltoides7. Stonefly Pteronarcys spp8. Burrowing mayfly Hexagenia spp9. Mooneye Hiodon tergisus10. Skipjack herring Alosa chrysochloris11. Longnose gar Lepisosteus osseus12. River shiner Notropis blennius13. Paddlefish Polyodon spathula14. Silver lamprey Ichthyomyzon unicuspis15. Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides16. White bass Morone chrysops17. Smooth softshell turtle Apalone mutica18. White crappie Pomoxis annularis19. Threadfin shad Dorasoma petenense20. Blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus21. Carp Cyprinus carpio22. Spotted bass Micropterus punctulatus23. Dragonfly nymph Anax junius24. Highfin carpsucker Carpiodes velifer25. Blue sucker Cycleptus elongatus26. Shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirrhynchops platyrrhynchus27. Smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus28. Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus29. Midge larva Chaoborus spp30. Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens31. Armored rock snail Lithasia armigera32. Pointed campeloma snail Campeloma decisum33. River darter Percina shumardi34. Butterfly mussel Ellipsaria lineolata35. Crayfish Orconectes rusticus36. Sauger Stizostedion canadense37. Mapleleaf mussel Quadrula quadrula38. American eel Anguilla rostrata39. Silver chub Hybopsis storeriana40. Stonefly nymph Pteronarcys spp41. Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum42. Burrowing mayfly nymph Hexagenia43. Washboard mussel Megalonaias gigantea

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RaindropsKeep FallingOn My 'Shed

E ach time rain or snow falls on K entucky,a contribution is made to a perpetual flowingsystem: T he M ississippi R iver Watershed. Toget there, resultant runoff water may takemany different paths through varied habitatsbut it all ends up in the M ississippi. A t first,it drips or oozes through vegetation, soil, oralong rocks. T hen water begins to flow in adepression which carries water only after thestorm. W hen these small rivulets meet andform a continually flowing stream, a “firstorder stream”, we have the beginning of ther iver continuum.

T he M ississippi river watershed has liter-ally thousands of these small streams whichcontribute to the flow. To find them you mustfind local maps such as topographic or countymaps. T he state or national maps will depictthe major systems but the first order streamsare too small to be shown on large scaledepictions.

E very headwater stream in the watershedhas a unique “signature”. N utrients andsuspended vegetation are specific to that landmass. I nitially, there is little aquatic plantgrowth so the initial part of the food chaindepends on food that falls or is washed intothe stream. T his vegetative material is pro-cessed by animals, primarily insects such asstoneflies, called “shredder s”. Small par-ticles which are not eaten by shredders areeaten by “collector s” i.e. mayflies. M ost fishthat live here are small predators such asdarters or dace which feed on the insectlarvae. W ith a limited amount of plant mate-rial, the animal community is usually limitedin headwater streams.

M id level streams (stream order 4-7) haveboth rooted and suspended aquatic plants andmany more types of animals have a niche in

which to live. “G r azer s” such as caddisflylarvae, snails and water pennies eat the grow-ing plants while collector numbers increasewith the varied plant life. W ith more waterand plant growth, shredders become lessdominant at this level. W hile many fishspecies from headwater streams are stillpresent, the number of species of fish found inthese streams increases. M any fish living inthese streams are actively sought by anglers.T his is partly because these are considered the“wadable streams” which satisfies adult desiresto wade as we did as children. I t is importantto note that individual watersheds only a fewmiles apart can have significantly differentvarieties of animal life. T his is dependent onthe watershed and what has happened natu-rally over time, or recently through humanintervention.

W hen streams meet, mix, and proceeddownstream, individual characteristics of thesmaller streams combine into a big river.N utrients from each watershed are nowmelded into the deep water. Shredding ofmaterial is again less dominant and rootedplant growth is diminished because of waterdepth. C ollector species are more dominantin this ecosystem. O ne major group of collec-tors are the mussels. Fish species includethose which specialize in microorganismssuch as the paddlefish, shad or the suckerfamily. O f course, there are also predatorsfrom all animal classes. T hese range in sizefrom plankton to blue catfish.

T he discussion of plants and animals ineach segment refers to the “species”biodiver sity of a specific watershed. R iversare part of larger scale ecosystems, and thoseorganisms which are related to the watercontribute to the “ecosystem” biodiversity ofthat particular region. A s rivers and associ-ated aquatic life are intertwined with all livingcreatures throughout the watershed, theproduct becomes “landscape” biodiversity.

A s you imagine a big river watershed, youcan see how isolated or widespread stormsaffect the ecosystem. T hunderstorms mayseem intense in a given community, but may

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hardly cause a ripple in the larger river.H owever, a sustained rain or rapid snow meltthroughout the watershed can cause majorfluctuations as each small river contributes.T he combined effect of floods in nearly allwatersheds was devastating for K entuckians inM arch 1997. W hen rivers such as the Salt orG reen rivers emptied into an already floodedO hio R iver, high water levels in the O hiobecame an obstacle for escaping water whichcaused the tributaries to back up and com-pound flooding.

For human related effects on the rivercontinuum, see the “I A m, T herefore IT inker” of this teacher’s guide.

I n addition to the following recommendedactivities, teachers could also consult withother organizations for teaching materials onrivers. T he Tennessee V alley A uthority(T V A ) has several curricula, I saac WaltonL eague also publishes guides, and U . S.E nvironmental Protection A gency published“A lways a R iver”, a supplemental environ-mental curriculum on the O hio R iver andwater, in 1991. For advanced classes,K entucky’s D ivision of Water is writing aWatershed M anagement document which is inthe draft form at this writing. Future correc-tions to this teacher’s guide will includeappropriate reference.

STUDENT PROJECTS:1. See “W here D oes Water R un O ff A fter

School?” from Project W I L D , Aquatic edi-tion. H ow far does the water travel from theschool yard before it enters a flowing streamor river? T his provides the students with theirwatershed address. H ave them estimate wherethis stream is in the river continuum. Basedon their estimates, what type of life processeswould they expect to find in the stream orriver. I f possible, have them sample the waterto identify the plant and animal life to sub-stantiate their hypothesis. For samplingtechniques see “Water C anaries” of ProjectW I L D , Aquatic.

T his exercise can be adapted for all ages.Sampling is best for grades 6 and abovedepending on degree of reporting expected.

K E R A A cademic E x pectation 2.3: Stu-dents identify and descr ibe systems,subsystems, and components and theirinter actions by completing task s and/orcreating products.

2. U sing A luminum foil on table tops,have students build two sections of “stream”which come together to form a larger alumi-num stream. Pour very thick chocolate milk(too much syrup) into one stream and plainmilk into the other. Watch the resultingmixing. W hen they combine, do they imme-diately mix or do they stay separate for somedistance? H ave the resultant stream flow overthe table’s edge (like a waterfall) into a cleancontainer to thoroughly mix the “streams’flow” and serve liberally with cookies! I fmilk and cookies are not part of the curricu-lum, use different colored water in eachsegment.

Best suited for students in grades 1 to 5with student participation best at older ages.K E R A A cademic E x pectation 2.4: Stu-dents use models and scale to ex plain orpredict the or ganization, function, andbehavior of objects, mater ials, and liv ingthings in their environment.

3. I nterview older members of the com-munity and ask them about the local water-shed. A few sample questions are included,however, students should be encouraged to becreative.

A . H ow long have you lived in this water-shed?

B. W hat land use changes have you seen inthe watershed that affect the river?

C . W hat flood events stand out for you andwhat was the main cause of each flood?

D . H as recreation changed on the river inyour life?

E . W hat advice would you offer to today’sstudents in regards to the future of thecommunity and the river?

A fter students complete their survey, havethem summarize the findings in a report.

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T hese could be combined in newspaperfashion (students applying computer skills)with different students assigned to key issues.

T his exercise is best suited for studentsfrom grades 5-8. O lder students may want towrite individual reports based on the findingsof their survey. K E R A A cademic E x pecta-tion 1.11 and 1.12: Students communicateideas and infor mation to a var iety ofaudiences for a var iety of pur poses in avar iety of modes through wr iting (news-paper ) or speak ing (inter v iews)

Fish FromThe Time OfDinosaurs

I t is indeed difficult to imagine what theworld was like when dinosaurs roamed theearth. H owever, several fish species depictedon the B ig R iver E cosystem poster werepresent long before Tyrannosaurus R ex. I nfact, lamprey, as shown attached to thepaddlefish, are presentin fossil records fromabout 320 millionyears ago, and theyreally haven’t changedmuch over that time.O thers in the posterwhich are consideredsurvivors of that timeinclude the gar, stur-geon, and paddlefish.W hile scientific evi-dence doesn’t discuss them as ancient fish,eels will also be discussed just because theauthor thinks they are neat!

ADAPTABILITYT he very fact ancient species have sur-

vived eons of natural disasters speaks highlyfor their adaptability. T hese fish adapted to

gradual changes and survived local catastro-phes (such as volcanic eruptions) becausetheir adaptive styles allowed them to usevarious rivers. I f water temperature or vol-ume altered their existence in one area, thespecies would thrive in another system.W hen the river returned to acceptable condi-tions a few thousand years later, migrationcould repopulate the altered ecosystem ashabitat allowed. Because the fish are essen-tially the same as their representatives in fossilrecords, this is considered an adaptive traitrather than genetic changes.

W hile we can only imagine what therivers were like in prehistoric times, we knowour ecosystems today are drastically differentthan they were even in 1900. T hese changesare occurring over wide regions of the worldand at a very rapid pace when compared togeological changes. O ne good example is thebuilding of reservoirs and the effects onmigratory species. Two species that areaffected by reservoirs are paddlefish and eels.O nly within the past few years have we under-stood that reproduction of paddlefish is re-lated to flooding. R eservoirs were primarilybuilt to prevent flooding and may be inhibit-ing paddlefish reproduction in some areas.

E els are essentiallyprevented from migrat-ing to certain areas byreservoirs which serveas total barriers. T hereis no evidence that thisis adversely affectingthe population of eels,but because eels onlyreproduce in the Sar-gasso Sea, between

Bermuda and the Bahamas, they are excludedfrom many headwater streams by reservoirs.

Because these fish have survived the eonsof natural changes, as scientists we can predictthey can also adapt to humans if we continueto monitor the effects we are having on eachspecies and the total ecosystem. O ur aware-ness of water quality has increased greatlysince about 1970, and with new generations ofinformed citizens growing into adults, we canbe optimistic for these adaptable species.

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STRANGE ANDWONDERFUL

CHARACTERISTICSW hile every species has unique character-

istics which make it special, ancient fish areespecially interesting and mysterious. Paddle-fish from the M ississippi river system canexceed two meters (6.5 feet) long while theircousins in the Yangtze river of C hina mayreach five meters. Sturgeon of the M ississippiwatershed are not usually extremely large, butthe beluga sturgeon from R ussia is generallyconsidered the largest freshwater fish (al-though the largest in fact spend some portionof their lives in the sea) in the world reachinglengths of 8.5 meters (28 feet) and weights of

1300 kilograms (2860 pounds).Paddlefish and sturgeon depicted in the

poster may not reach the size of their A siancounterparts, but they share other features ofinterest with those relatives. R ather thanhaving true bones, their skeletons are made ofcartilage, similar to sharks. Sturgeon usebar bels to locate food which is mainly inver-tebrates from the bottom of the river. Shovel-nose sturgeon may even use their nose todisturb the decaying matter or detr itus tofacilitate eating. Paddlefish are filter feederswhich engulf large volumes of water andremove plankton using specialized gill r ak -er s. Both of the fish will eat smallfish when they have the opportu-nity, especially when individualsturgeon or paddlefish are larger.

G ar and sturgeon both have

scales which resemble bony plates found inreptiles. W hile the sturgeon large scales arecalled “scutes” they are remnants of ganoidscales such as those found on gar. G anoidscales, unlike the scales of modern fish, con-tain dentine which makes the scales verydifficult to penetrate. T hese scales once againoffer the comparison for children to dinosaurssuch as Triceratops.

EELS AND LAMPREY,THIS IS YOUR LIFE!

Just as individual humans seem to havemore or less interesting lives, so do somespecies of fish. M ost fish hatch from eggs in aform that greatly resembles the adults and livein the same habitat used by the adults of the

species. E els and lamprey, in contrast,have life histories that are remarkable(well, maybe just plain interesting).

A s mentioned earlier, all freshwatereels (from both E urope and NorthA merica) spawn in the Sargasso Sea.T he young of the year hatch into “lepto-cephalous” larva then drift with oceancurrents for approximately one year(North A merica) before they transform

into elver s (larva drift for up to three yearsbefore reaching E urope). E lvers migrateupstream in major rivers where they live asgreenish or yellow eels for 6 to 12 years.T hey then transform into “silver eel” andmigrate back downstream, follow deep oceancurrents to the Sargasso Sea, spawn, and die.T his is all the more remarkable when oneconsiders the North A merican and E uropeaneels are considered distinct species yet use theprecise same spawning grounds.

W hile lamprey are often regarded with thesame adoring qualities of vampires andleeches, their life cycle is more than simplysucking blood from a victim. A fter adults

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spawn, the larvae drift downstream to amuddy backwater and live a secretive lifeburied in the mud bottom of streams orwetlands for several years. D uring this time,lamprey larvae live on the decaying matter onthe stream bottom (and we thought they wereunattractive as blood suckers). T hese twodistinct forms were thought to be separatespecies until 1856 when the relationship wasdiscovered. A nother interesting point toremember is that not all lamprey are parasiticor predatory. H owever, when we applylampricides (chemicals to kill lamprey) as hasbeen done in the G reat L akes region to pro-tect commercially valuable fish, we kill alllamprey to get the guilty.

STUDENT PROJECTS:1. See Aquatic W ild, “Fashion a Fish”.

H ave students draw their ideal fish for thefuture based on what they have learned fromthe B ig R iver E cosystem poster and the traitsexhibited by these ancient fish. E ach child orgroup should explain why they used certainparts to make their fish more survivable.

T his exercise is recommended for K -12,students in lower grades could also be encour-aged to “dress up” as their fish. K E R AA cademic E x pectation 1.13: Studentsconstr uct meaning or communicate ideasand emotions through the v isual ar ts.

2. H ave students compare the ancient fishof the poster with extinct fish such as ostr aco-der ms or placoder ms. W hy did those fishbecome extinct while the depicted ancient fishsurvived? W hat are the characteristics wecould identify which may become limitingfactors for the ancient fish? W hat needs to bedone to prevent them from declining innumbers and possibly going extinct in thenext 100 or 200 years?

Because of the finality and seriousness ofextinction, this exercise is recommended forolder students, seventh grade and older.K E R A A cademic E x pectation 2.6: Stu-dents complete task s and or developproducts which identify, descr ibe, anddirect evolutionar y change which hasoccur red or is occur r ing around them.

3. You are what you eat! D o a researchproject on the adaptive feeding styles amongthe ancient fish. H ow did feeding behaviorcontribute to long termed survival of eachspecies? W hat adaptive characteristics dothese fish have which prevents them frombeing at the “consumed” level of the foodchain? A re there factors related to the foodchain today which students should relate tofuture survival of these species?

T his exercise could be used by grades 4 to8. K E R A A cademic E x pectation 2.6:Students complete task s and or developproducts which identify, descr ibe, anddirect evolutionar y change which hasoccur red or is occur r ing around them.

4. R esearch human consumptive featuresof ancient fish. H ow many anglers pursuethese fish? W hich are considered “gourmet”dishes? (E el, lamprey, and caviar from stur-geon and paddlefish are all gourmet foods.)W hich cultures use these fish? W hy aren’tgar eggs included in caviar jars? H as thatcontributed to survival of gar? W hat is thepotential for raising these fish in controlledlakes for human consumption?

T his exercise could be used by olderstudents grades 6-12. K E R A A cademicE x pectation 2.30: Students demonstr ateeffective decision-mak ing and evaluateconsumer sk il ls.

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I Am,Therefore I

TinkerT his section addresses human interactions

with big rivers. I t is the intent of the writer topresent a balanced viewpoint. A prime themeas we enter the 21st century is sustainabledevelopment, and rivers offer students(tomorrow’s adults) a challenge to maintainthe river and its natural qualities as we de-velop the nation economically. E ach type ofinteraction discussed will offer a cost/benefitsanalysis for both humans and aquatic animals.

RESERVOIRSR eservoirs are man-made impoundments

and range in size from small farm ponds tohuge lakes. T he primary purpose forK entucky’s large reservoirs has been floodcontrol but they also offer many other oppor-tunities. Not only is fertile river bottom landprotected directly from flooding, in someareas of the country the water is diverted intoirrigation systems to provide a more reliableflow of water through the growing season.H ydroelectric power, generators poweredby flowing water, is produced at many ofour reservoirs, and impounded water isoften used as sources for community watersupply. F inally, tourism and recreation onthe large impoundments is an importantpart of the economy.

T he primary costs to the human commu-nity when we build a reservoir are monetary.Not only does the construction and associatedphysical structures cost a great deal, that landwhich is flooded is permanently lost for cropor timber production. W here we have builtreservoirs, occasionally whole towns havebeen relocated with the resultant loss ofhistory and family culture.

From the aquatic animals viewpoint, itdepends on the animal’s life requirements.

E ach species is more suited for one habitatthan another. E ach aquatic animal has spe-cific water factors in which it is best suited.Some species which were in the river systembefore reservoirs depended on high waterconditions for reproduction. Wetlands replen-ished by floods were a place for young of theyear to grow. R eservoirs permanently floodriverine wetlands and reduce flood eventswhich decreases the opportunity for thesespecies to continue using that river. H owever,other species found in the impounded rivermay do better in reservoirs than in steadilymoving water. G enerally speaking, thosespecies capable of adapting rapidly will be themost abundant in the altered environment.

T he water in the river below the reservoiris also changed. W hen water comes from thebottom of the reservoir, it maintains a coldwater discharge throughout the year. Specieswhich need a warming trend for specific lifeprocesses such as reproduction may not findthe river suitable for many miles below areservoir. H owever, this cold water creates anenvironment where other animals which werenot indigenous to K entucky, such as trout,will survive. T his creates a desired opportu-nity for anglers and adds substantially to thetourism economy.

COMMERCIALTRANSPORTATION,LOCKS AND DAMS

From the earliest settlement of K entucky,our rivers have been major transportationroutes for products being shipped from thestate. A s boats and barges became larger, wedredged channels and installed locks anddams on many rivers to allow safe naviga-tion. T his transportation system was a majorfactor in developing the coal industry inK entucky. W hile trains and trucks nowtransport many industrial products, riverbarges still carry commercial products upand down our major rivers.

T he dam creates a pool in the normalriver channel which is deeper than the flowing

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river would have maintained. T he bargeenters a lock which is then flooded from thepool to raise the barge to the pool level. I tthen proceeds upstream to the next lockwhere it repeats the process. G oing down-stream, the barge enters a lock, which isdrained to lower the barge to the river levelbelow the lock.

L ike reservoirs, money is required for alock and dam system, but there is normallyvery little productive land lost due to poolingof the river in comparison to reservoirs.H owever, during floods, these dams do notprovide flood control as a reservoir would,and flood water flows freely over the top ofthe lock and dam in navigation systems.

I n each pool, the river is more like areservoir than a flowing river. I n a continu-ous flowing system, sediment would be depos-ited in specific areas which would developinto sand bars and islands. I n pooled rivers, itsettles uniformly over a large area which canpotentially cover habitat for aquatic species.A s in reservoirs, changes in water flow rate,temperature, and other characteristics favorsome species while selecting against others.Sand bars, which are dredged to improvetransportation routes, are a good example ofwildlife habitat which has been commonlyremoved from the big river ecosystem.

BRIDGESW hen we build a road across our major

rivers, bridges are a necessity. We could nottransport goods quickly and economically onhighways without them. H istorically, whenwe built bridges, the highway approachesoften created an unintentional dike across theflood plain. W hen major flood events oc-curred, flood waters had to escape through thesmall opening covered by the bridge whilewater which would normally have floweddown the flood plain was restricted by the“dike”. A t times, this amplified the floodevent upstream from the bridge. Today,engineers recognize this hazard, and caution istaken to allow rivers ample space for dis-charge of flood waters.

CHANNELIZATION/DIKES

C hannelization is a practice where riversare straightened and deepened to allowwater to escape more efficiently. D ikes arebuilt on the shore to contain the waterwithin a given area. C hannels and dikes aresometimes used separately or can be usedtogether to allow agricultural developmentof the floodplain or to protect urban areas.B oth in urban and agricultural areas, thereis a need to get the water out of the commu-nity to get on with our lives.

R ivers naturally meander or wind backand forth. W hile it is not a conscious deci-sion on nature’s part, this slows the water anddecreases erosion. By building a channelizedsection, the water travels a shorter distancebut still falls the same elevation. T his in-creases the speed which also increases erosivepower. To complicate erosion, trees areusually removed from channelized sectionsalong with the tree roots which normally slowerosion. I n urban areas, flow rates are in-creased by runoff water from the network ofstreets, roofs, and parking lots at malls, facto-ries, and schools.

D ikes keep water within an expected area,but they disrupt the long term revitalization ofwetlands and floodplain bottoms. H istoricalfloods deposited the topsoil in these areas andthey are some of the richest farmlands avail-able. W hen flood events breech the dikes ashappened in the 1993 flood of the M issouri/M ississippi, the results are quite different thanwhen floods spread evenly over the floodplainin ancient times. T he swiftly moving watercarries larger sediment particles and sand/gravel bars may be deposited rather thantopsoil. W here the water escapes, deep gorgesmay also be cut through previous fertile fieldsby the concentrated water.

W hen we channelize or dike several of therivers which drain into the “B ig R iver”, theresults are predictable. A ll affected communi-ties send their water out of town and the mainwatershed receives more than it can handle.

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I n areas with reasonably high precipitation,the degree and frequency of high water eventsin a big river will predictably increase.

For aquatic animals, results ofchannelization and diking of rivers are not sopredictable. O ne thing that is predictable isthat a channelized river will not replenishwetlands within the watershed. I n the river,some stretches will have swifter water, whilesome channels may be isolated into oxbowlakes. T he natural system would have a seriesof riffles (shallow swift water) and pools(deeper slow moving water) at a predictabletemperature. A given channelized segment ofthe river may have deep water part of the yearand shallow, slow moving, warm water later.T hese habitat variations create a differentaquatic community from what was found inthe natural system. W hile some species mayflourish, species biodiver sity is usuallydecreased. T here are cases, however, wherechannelized sections have increased aquaticlife. A s usual with nature, go figure.

STUDENT PROJECTS1. Student activities may include “To

D am or Not to D am” (Project W I L D , Aquaticedition) or an exercise for cost/benefit com-parison of a simulated or real communitysituation. For instance, there have beenmany recent flood events nationally. W hatcaused the intensity of a given event, what isplanned (reality) to avert future flooding, orwhat solution (simulated) might be pro-posed? I s there a difference when we do anexercise or when we have been directlyaffected by a disaster?

For a history lesson, go back in time andask the students to decide whether to build anexisting reservoir based on the informationthat existed at the time it was built. Nowintroduce current knowledge and see if thereis a difference in decision making.

R ecommended for grades 5-12 with morecomplex questions for older students. K E R AA cademics E x pectation 2.19: Studentsrecognize and understand the relationshipbetween people and geography and applytheir knowledge in real-life situations.

2. U se a state map to identify how yourcommunity is affected by people in the water-shed. W ho lives upstream and what activitiesoccur in those communities that affect thestudent? H as the river been altered upstreamby reservoirs, channelization, or other humanactions? I f yes, what are the effects at yourpoint on the river? H ow many communitiestreat water from the river for human use anddischarge their waste water into the watershedbefore it gets to your town? W hat agriculturalactivities upstream affect water quality in yourtown? L ikewise, what happens in thestudent’s community that affects the lives ofresidents who live downstream?

T his exercise could be adapted for grades1-8 with older students expected to providemore detail. K E R A A cademic E x pectation2.16: Students obser ve, analyze, andinter pret human behavior s, social group-ings, and institutions to better under standpeople and the relationships amongindiv iduals and among groups.

3. H ave the students study the rivercontinuum of their community down to theG ulf of M exico. Plan a boat trip from theheadwater streams all the way to the G ulf.W here could they first expect to float a canoeor raft without having to get out and drag it?W hat man made obstacles occur throughoutthe journey? W here would they expect to findwaterfalls, dead fall logs, or sandbars whichmay create navigation hazards? Would theyplan to fish or swim during their journey?W hen would they transfer to a bigger boat orpossibly a houseboat? W hat type of eating andsleeping arrangements would they make witheach boat? W hat would it be like to gothrough a lock and dam in different boats?W hat type of changes to the river ecosystemwould they expect as they enter larger rivers ortravel through other communities?

A culmination activity could be arrangedwith a canoe, raft or boat trip on a smallsegment of the associated watershed. A notherpotential field trip might include a visit to alock and dam facility to witness the lockingprocess.

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T his exercise is recommended for grades 5-8. K E R A A cademic E x pectation 2.35:(L ifetime Physical A ctivities) Students

demonstrate knowledge and sk ills thatpromote physical activity and involvementin physical activity throughout their lives.

GLOSSARYB ar bels - Sensory structures found on many fish near their mouths to help them find food.

B iodiver sity - A term to describe the diversity of life or ecosystems.

C ollector s - A nimals which filter the water to remove small particles of food from thewater column.

D etr itus - A layer of decaying plant and animal material on the bottom of an aquatic ecosys-tem. Normally contains bacteria which aid the decay process.

E lver s - T he stage of eels between the larval stage and adults swimming upstream in freshwater rivers.

G anoid Scales - Scales that include dentine, the same material found in teeth.

G ill R ak er s - Structures on the gills of certain fish which helps remove microscopic foodparticles from the ingested water or material.

G r azer s - A nimals which move from one growing plant to another to attain their food.

I ndigenous - H aving been found to naturally inhabit an area prior to human influence.

L eptocephalus - L iteral meaning is a light or thin head. A s used in this guide, it is a trans-parent oceanic larval stage of eels.

N iche - T he position of an organism within an ecosystem. Defined by the chemical, physical,spatial and temporal factors required for existence. I n simpler terms, habitat defines ananimal’s home, niche describes its address.

O str acoder ms - H eavily armored, jawless fish which have long since been extinct.

Placoder ms - A group of extinct fishes which had a primitive jaw suspension and a functionalpair of first gill slits.

R iver C ontinuum - T he entire picture of flowing water in a watershed. Starts when waterflows continuously in small streams and ends where the “big river” empties into the saltwater.

Scutes - Bony plates of protective covering. O n sturgeon, these are derived from ganoidscales or scales with dentine origin.

Shredder s - A nimals which derive their nourishment by shredding plant material such asleaves that fall into the water.

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JUST THE

T T H E

FACTS, ALL IWANT IS THE

FACTST he following information is presented to

inform teachers so they can be better preparedto answer questions from their students.I nformed students and teachers will be muchbetter decision makers for future developmentof the state. I n 1992, T he K entucky E nviron-mental Q uality C ommission published “Stateof K entucky’s E nvironment”. I t is a compre-hensive evaluation of all environmentalfactors. T hat document is currently beingupdated and should be available by the end of1997. Personal copies may be ordered fromthat commission at 14 R eilly R d., FrankfortK Y 40601 at $10 per copy or they will beavailable at public libraries.

To paraphrase the information in the 1992report on rivers, we are better than we were20 years ago, but we still have some work todo. T he key is to recognize the incrementsthat must be accomplished as we work to-gether on environmental challenges.

POLLUTIONPollution is a word which summarizes a

variety of things that are happening in ourenvironment. I t is important to students torecognize the sources of pollution. Pointsource pollution is when a given “point”such as a discharge pipe can be identified.Non-point source pollution is when rain fallson a land mass area and the resultant runoffcarries pollution into the waterway from theentire community.

Pollution factors are also variable. C hemi-cals are very helpful for controlling weeds orinsects in our lawns, gardens or agriculturalfields. H owever, when they are carried into

the river, they can become pollution agents.Soil erosion is a natural event, but silt erodedduring a storm event is also a form of pollution.W hile farms are thought of by most people assources of soil erosion, urban communitiescontribute to erosion as housing or commercialareas are developed. A nother factor of pollutionis discharge of wastewater into rivers. Treatedsewage adds nutrients while untreated sewage,such as straight pipe sewage, or treatment plantoverflow, adds bacteria as well. A pollutionfactor that affects aquatic organisms is thermalpollution. Water may be heated by powerplants or by the sun when rivers are channelizedwith shade trees removed.

T he following table illustrates some pollu-tion factors comparing 1991 and 1995.

Pollution Type 1991 1995Bacteria/pathogens 34.5% 38%Siltation 20.0% 21%Organic Enrichment 13.1% 8%Nutrients 7.8% 7%pH 5.9% 13%Chlorides 5.4% Not listedMetals 4.6% 3%All others 8.70% 10%

ENDANGERMENTT he following information is again from

the State of K entucky’s E nvironment. T henumber of species suggested by Nature Pre-serves differs from Federal L ists as somespecies are under consideration for listing anddefinitions of “special concern”, “rare”,etc.may differ. I n K entucky’s aquatic environ-ment, mussels are the group of organisms forwhich everyone is most concerned. A llorganisms which are dependent for some orall life functions on the bottom of the riversystem are of concern primarily due to set-tling of silt and other materials directly ontothe habitat upon which they depend. T hefollowing facts, derived from Page 258 of1992 version State of K entucky’s E nviron-ment illustrates the status of selected groups ofaquatic animals.

1991 D ATA : T here are 103 mussel, 242

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fish, and 105 amphibian and reptile speciesbelieved to have been in K entucky. T herewere 11 mussels, 2 fish and 0 amphib/reptilesfederally listed as threatened or endangered.Fourteen mussels, 10 fish and 4 amphib/reptiles were proposed to be listed. Fifteenmussels, 2 fish and 1 amphib/reptile werepresumed extinct or extirpated. O f specialconcern for K entucky are 39 mussels, 70 fish,and 38 amphib/reptiles.

1997 data is not available at this writingbut will be included in future rewrites.

FISH CONTAMINATIONE ach year the K entucky D epartment of

Natural R esources, assisted by the K entuckyDepartment of Fish and W ildlife R esources,monitors the contamination level of fish inselected habitats. (See page 14-16 of theM arch 1997 version of Water Q uality, Stateof K entucky’s E nvironmental Series.) T heresults are passed to the public in the form ofadvisories to consuming fish in the annualfishing and boating guide. I t should be under-stood that eating fish which is under an advi-sory does not mean the fish will cause theconsumer immediate death or sickness. D if-ferent levels of certain toxins suggest specificconsequences. L ike many of our society’swarnings, we want the consumer to be awareof the choice they make by eating the fish.Ac-cording to the 1992 E PA National Study ofC hemical R esidues in Fish, eating 4 ounces ofcatfish from the O hio R iver (where catfish ison the advisory list) every month for 30 yearswould increase the consumer’s chances ofgetting cancer by 1 in 10,000 at the levelsfound at that time. E very A merican has a2,000 in 10,000 chance already, so thechances are increased to 2,001 in 10,000.T his is not intended to trivialize the contami-nation of these fish as it should not be eaten atall by pregnant women, women planning tohave a family immediately, or children under3 years of age. T he important message is thatwe make choices in our consumptive habitsdaily, and many things people consume or usein their daily lives are much more dangerous

than fish at this level of contamination.A sobering fact is that some contaminants

are not going away any time soon. M anyexisting chemicals have long half lives and willexist in the rivers for many decades if notcenturies. T hese products accumulate in the fatof animals or in the reproductive systems (eggs).T hose high in the food chain and those withhigh longevity will accumulate the most.

Preparation of the fish to be eaten affectsthe amount of chemical passed to the humanconsumer. A s the fish is cleaned, all fatshould be removed along with the blood linesnext to the skin of filleted fish. W hen the fishis cooked, any method which allows meltedfat to escape from the fish will decrease theamount of ingested chemical.

CONCLUSIONFor complete information, this author

strongly suggests research of the referenceddocuments as they give much more detailedinformation than can be given in this shortsynopsis. For students, the end product of theirresearch should reflect how our society candevelop while safely managing aquatic re-sources. We will probably not eliminatecontaminants, but we must continue to elimi-nate new sources while we attempt to controlthe concentration at some acceptable level.

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C lick here to go toU .S. F ish and W ildlife Ser v ices