The residence site is a nice setting where the stream is forced to make a sharp turn at the base of a low sandstone cliff where I set up the equipment.
So, I had just calibrated the dissolved oxygen probe and was starting data acquisition (the instructions say that once the data starts collection the probe must be held still) I got that old "someone is watching" feeling. I looked around and saw this little guy.
Do you see him? Look closer ...
This little guy is about two meters away from me and clearly lives in the root tangle exposed by stream erosion. Over the five minutes he pokes his head out of every hole in the root ball chirping at me and I swear one time he threw a rock at me. Once I had my data I was able to take his picture but the motion spooked him and he ran downstream. And once again field collection of data is interrupted by an outbreak of biology.
I collected data at the upstream site and weirdly met a much larger version of the same critter living in a bank overhang just downstream of where I met the rabbit and the dogs. I could not get a picture of this guy 'cause he was really ticked at me and kept running around. In any event we have resident fauna close to the campus.
I made the upstream pilgrimage to the new storm sewer. I could see from the discoloration of the rocks in the drainage basin that a significant pool had formed between the drain and the stream.
That could only mean that in the last storm the sewer had released a significant discharge. I could see that even now, days afterwards, that the drain was still discharging and when I collected some of the fluid I noticed that it was very foul.
So the drain is operational and the stream has begun to change. It is amazing how things come out of no where to change things. Challenge or opportunity? I don't know. Anyway, this is what the stream looked like today.
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