Lessons from a Creek
Alaska offers countless things for residents and visitors to marvel at, whether it’s snowcapped mountains, northern lights, or hulking glaciers. For students lucky enough to grow up in Alaska, the state’s extraordinary natural resources also make for an endless supply of learning opportunities.
Earlier this month, the BLM partnered with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) to provide an immersive learning experience for ANSEP high school students at the BLM’s Campbell Creek Science Center (CCSC) in Anchorage. Over the course of three days, students had the chance to meet with and learn from BLM specialists in fields critical to public land management, ranging from fire and fuels, biology, and hydrology. Since ANSEP students begin earning college credits as early as eighth grade, exposure to these specialized fields may help them decide what path to take once they reach university.
Anchorage District Fuels Manager Jared Hammatt and Fire Management Specialist Ben Seifert were first up at bat. They spoke to students about how factors like weather, fuels, topography, and even insect outbreaks can factor into fire conditions for boreal forests like the kind that covers much of Alaska. Awareness of these influencing factors allows wildland firefighters to work through fire season more efficiently. Later in the day, fish biologist Sarah Hanchett arrived to explain the basics of her job, the importance of stable fish habitat in Alaska’s watersheds, and how BLM restoration projects are benefitting fish and the Alaskans that depend upon them.
On the second day, a trio of BLM hydrologists arrived at CCSC, equipped with waders, depth rods, and a printed PowerPoint. Ben Stratton is the soils and water resources program lead for the Aquatic Resources Program, and BLM hydrologists Robin Welling and Charley Palmer contributed their expertise to the lesson. Students and hydrologists walked down to Campbell Creek to take advantage of the weather and shed some light on why hydrologists are so vital. In a state like Alaska, with over 12,000 rivers and 3 million lakes, their work is especially important.
Their presentation covered the basics of hydrology and familiarized students with common terms like erosion, deposition, bankfull flow, and fluvial geomorphology. They also explained the two Qs that hydrologists concern themselves with: Quality and Quantity. With the creek running quickly behind them, each hydrologist took turns stepping up to give examples of what they might do in a typical workday.
Stratton talked about how water in our streams is connected to our drinking water. Welling shared how the BLM monitors river health using a strategy called AIM – Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring –pointing to real-world examples like the Platinum mine site. Palmer showed pictures and explained how to tell the difference between bars and islands in a river, as well as other features.
Back at CCSC, students got a hands-on lesson with a model of Lane’s Balance. This model shows how rivers change based on their slope, sediment, and amount of water. For example, more water with not enough sediment can cause erosion, while too much sediment and insufficient water leads to buildup on the bottom of the channel.
Next, the students moved to the stream table – a tool that acts like a mini riverbed. By adjusting the water flow, they watched how rivers form bends, flood, or dry out. With help from students, Stratton demonstrated why culverts in a waterway might fail, the difference it makes to reinforce banks, and what happens when a river isn’t supplied with sufficient sediment. Students and hydrologists alike were thrilled to discover a tiny beaver they could use while modeling what beaver dams might do to a stream.
On the final day, students became scientists themselves. They reviewed a 2001 study of the Campbell Creek by Janet Curran of the U.S. Geological Survey and set out to collect new data from the same spots. With help from Welling and Stratton, students used survey tools to measure creek depth and bank positions at 18 points. When they graphed their results back at CCSC, they discovered big changes: some creek banks had shifted nearly 30 feet, and the streambed had become shallower. To see their survey results superimposed on the original study results was gratifying for many of the students.
So, what did ANSEP students learn from their time on and around Campbell Creek? Factors that influence fire conditions in boreal forests, the importance of watersheds and stable fish habitat in Alaska, as well as the dynamic work of BLM’s hydrologists. With any luck, these kinds of lessons will inspire the next generation of Alaskans to work on our public lands.
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