I found this park a number of months ago using several map programs to explore my area, and I am bound & determined to look into it's ecological condition for myself.
I'm within a few miles and hope to work up my stamina so I can walk to it, but I finally drove by yesterday to scope things out. If you put the above coordinates into Google Earth you can follow along as I go. It may yet be weeks before I get there to spend a few hours exploring, so I will entertain your suggestions for topics of investigation or measurements, etcetera.
The park is 40 acres and looks from the road to be undisturbed for decades if not scores of years. Running through the park is Burnt Bridge Creek, which then runs on through metropolitan Vancouver. [Running through it is Lacamas Creek.] I suspect the park is a land donation and that it is no coincidence that it's 40 acres, as this is a 1/4 Section of the oft-used Township/Range method of surveying. I have found no historical information yet on the park.
On my menu so far is a bird survey, plant survey, water level & streambed condition, animal poop survey, and trails.
Many fish stores will do a water test for the home aquarist for free. Some charge a few bucks for a more detailed analysis. You could call around and see what you can get done and what kind of detail they will give. Some places just tell you your levels are ok for pet fish, and some will give you the details without extra charge. Depends on the store.
Some things home fish kits can test for:
pH level (can vary by time of day)
NitrAte (final result after bacterias remove Ammonia and NitrIte. Some bacterias exist which remove nitrAte, but are only found in oxygen free enviroments and not typically in a home fish tank)
GH and KH (test once in a while)
copper levels (test once in a while)
The above I have used regularly, liquid forms where you gotta add drops. Fish forums around the net recommend these types for accuracy and believe the paper strips are just to prone to error.
Iron levels (I have heard varied reports on accuracy and I havent used it myself)
phosphates (I havent used this one so I dont know how good it is)
Things that could also be tested for include:
Ammonia
NitrItes
but I dont know that any would show up due to bio factors that SHOULD negate these things. I have used these tests and find them very accurate (again liquid drops form).
Pet smart and Petco will match online prices for kits. BigAlsOnline is a favorite and I have gotten some of these tests for as little as $4 via price matching locally.
I would recommend various tests on different days to get an average water quality. Things that can alter averages include rains, droughts, etc.
Many fish stores will do a water test for the home aquarist for free.
Some things home fish kits can test for:
pH level (can vary by time of day)
NitrAte (final result after bacterias remove Ammonia and NitrIte. Some bacterias exist which remove nitrAte, but are only found in oxygen free enviroments and not typically in a home fish tank)
GH and KH (test once in a while)
copper levels (test once in a while)
...I would recommend various tests on different days to get an average water quality. Things that can alter averages include rains, droughts, etc.
§ Water samples...check. How much should I collect, and will I need to collect multiple small samples or just one aggregate & divide later?
§ Other equipment going with: GPS; compass; folding shovel; variety of plastic bags; video camera; field notebook; Dora says, "say backpack!"...backpack; staff; Audubon bird ID field book; Audubon rock ID field book...
I don't see any evidence yet of trails, and from both the aerial view and my drive-by, the park appears densely vegetated. I won't bear any surprise to find it marshy either, given the stream size & location. From the parking lot across the road, I measured an elevation on my GPS receiver of 196 feet.
PS Know any clever field methods to estimate GPM (Gallons Per Minute)water flow?
§ Water samples...check. How much should I collect, and will I need to collect multiple small samples or just one aggregate & divide later?
§ Other equipment going with: GPS; compass; folding shovel; variety of plastic bags; video camera; field notebook; Dora says, "say backpack!"...backpack; staff; Audubon bird ID field book; Audubon rock ID field book...
I don't see any evidence yet of trails, and from both the aerial view and my drive-by, the park appears densely vegetated. I won't bear any surprise to find it marshy either, given the stream size & location. From the parking lot across the road, I measured an elevation on my GPS receiver of 196 feet.
PS Know any clever field methods to estimate GPM (Gallons Per Minute)water flow?
Each test takes about 2-3 teaspoons of water (tests vary from 3 mL to 10mL). You would want all the sample from the same site, but you may want multiple samples for different water settings (creek, pond, lake, entering park, leaving park, etc) at least for an initial analysis.
How about adding a tape measure to tools taken?
Maybe a butterfly net?
Each test takes about 2-3 teaspoons of water (tests vary from 3 mL to 10mL). You would want all the sample from the same site, but you may want multiple samples for different water settings (creek, pond, lake, entering park, leaving park, etc) at least for an initial analysis.
How about adding a tape measure to tools taken?
Maybe a butterfly net?
Roger Wilco... 25 foot Stanley & a 6 inch rule in the bag. I try with all my might to resist pack-ratting these days, but the little hot-sauce bottles I cleaned & saved are now justified and in the bag as well.
Always in my pocket, a pen-knife, space-pen, whistle, pen-light, and a pocket magnifying glass. Added also to the bag, the old eye-piece I use as a loupe. I have no butterfly net, but I have a small tobacco can in the bag to hold any bugs.
If you go again to your favorite map,
45º 38' 50" N
122º 27' 37.35" W
you see South across the road from Lechtenberg Park a couple of parking lots. The most Easterly lot is a golf-course, the most Westerly a new trailhead for what they have named the Lacamas Heritage Trail. This trail follows Burnt Bridge Creek back to its source at Lacamas Lake. I was a bit put off when I pulled in the other day to confront numerous signs warning it was a 'High Crime Area' and to remove valuables and lock vehicles. If I end up going by auto rather than walking, I think I'll just have someone drop me off.
§The pH should be monitored over time and after rainy/dry events/seasons. This will give you a range.
§I'd recommend taking a write-in-the-rain field-book and a pencil. This way you will not be stopped by rain or mist, or accidentally dropping your field-book in the river. (I dropped our GPS unit in a stream today...still works thankfully)
You might also consider taking a list of invasive plant species with you, if you are not familiar with all the invasives in your area.
For the stream itself, I'd suggest measuring a stretch of channel and classifying the stream from there. Toss a twig in the stream-flow. Time it across a measured distance (throw it a little upstream of your start point so it has time to build up to speed) and you have a good basis (ft/s or m/s) for an estimated GPM (given some conversion). You will also need to estimate volume. Without getting into the river and taking some measurements, this can get tricky.
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§The pH should be monitored over time and after rainy/dry events/seasons. This will give you a range.
If I have a positive experience the first time, this is a distinct possibility.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freezter
§I'd recommend taking a write-in-the-rain field-book and a pencil. This way you will not be stopped by rain or mist, or accidentally dropping your field-book in the river. (I dropped our GPS unit in a stream today...still works thankfully)
Will have to go with paper for now. My field book is rather wrinkly as it is from previous expeditions in the NW mizzle. I carry a pencil and a space-pen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freeztir
You might also consider taking a list of invasive plant species with you, if you are not familiar with all the invasives in your area.
Acknowledged. I have the Clark County Weed Control Board page bookmarked somewhere. I had in mind to be on the lookout for hedera (ivy) as it is because the park is just 4 miles from the Columbia River & the forested banks are seriously infested with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by frezzmeister
For the stream itself, I'd suggest measuring a stretch of channel and classifying the stream from there. Toss a twig in the stream-flow. Time it across a measured distance (throw it a little upstream of your start point so it has time to build up to speed) and you have a good basis (ft/s or m/s) for an estimated GPM (given some conversion). You will also need to estimate volume. Without getting into the river and taking some measurements, this can get tricky.
Thank you! Perfect! Depending on the type of banks I find, my 25 foot steel Stanley tape may allow me to take stand-off measurements of depth & breadth.
To my kit & kaboodle I have added field glasses, reading glasses, Leatherman Wave tool & machete.
Addendum: Find attached a list of the vascular plants in the county.
Acknowledged. I have the Clark County Weed Control Board page bookmarked somewhere. I had in mind to be on the lookout for hedera (ivy) as it is because the park is just 4 miles from the Columbia River & the forested banks are seriously infested with it.
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese Knotweed) is another big one to be on the lookout for, though I wouldn't recommend removing it as it requires a lot of digging and on-going maintenance (or a healthy dose of chemicals). Notifying the weed control board of a siting is a good idea.
Quote:
Thank you! Perfect! Depending on the type of banks I find, my 25 foot steel Stanley tape may allow me to take stand-off measurements of depth & breadth.
To my kit & kaboodle I have added field glasses, reading glasses, Leatherman Wave tool & machete.
I meant to add machete in my last post...
Do you have a stopwatch?
__________________ Hypography Science Forums Moderator
--- "There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew." - Marshall McLuhan
"We must not forget that when radium was discovered no one knew that it would prove useful in hospitals. The work was one of pure science. And this is a proof that scientific work must not be considered from the point of view of the direct usefulness of it." - Marie Curie
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese Knotweed) is another big one to be on the lookout for, though I wouldn't recommend removing it as it requires a lot of digging and on-going maintenance (or a healthy dose of chemicals). Notifying the weed control board of a siting is a good idea.
I meant to add machete in my last post...
Do you have a stopwatch?
I won't be doing any weeding on my initial survey.
Excellent link! Just what I needed. Takk.
Stopwatch...check.
I have been examining all the maps I have and it appears I mistook the particulars of the stream through the park. It is not Burnt Bridge Creek, but rather Fifth Plain Creek and it does not flow out of Lacamas Lake but rather flows into it. Given all the pasture & farmland upstream then, I won't be surprised to find high nitrogen levels from runoff. As I recall the lake has regular algae blooms attributed to such runoff.
Also it occured to me to make a note of trash & homeless camps if any. So it goes.
Thank you! Perfect! Depending on the type of banks I find, my 25 foot steel Stanley tape may allow me to take stand-off measurements of depth & breadth.
Just measure out a full step (or a couple) at home, then count your paces. Should be close enough for an basic idea of the distance.
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Environmental Study of Lechtenberg Park 
How much should I collect, and will I need to collect multiple small samples or just one aggregate & divide later? 
I try with all my might to resist pack-ratting these days, but the little hot-sauce bottles I cleaned & saved are now justified and in the bag as well. 
If I end up going by auto rather than walking, I think I'll just have someone drop me off.
