Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Sean Logan joined naturalists, volunteers, and 4-H members on the bank of the Little Miami river on the 1st of July, 2010, to participate in a stream quality monitoring session. The group examined aquatic life forms found near Bass Island.
Stream Quality Monitoring Procedure
Steve and Gerri Lilly are volunteer stream quality monitors, and the section of the Little Miami River at Bass Island is their assigned area. Ohio Department of Watercraft volunteers monitor selected stretches of Ohio’s rivers three times each year, in spring, summer, and fall. The process involves wading into the stream and stirring up the river bottom by kicking or handling the underwater rocks and substrate.
Macroinvertibrates, the small insects, crayfish, worms, and snails that live beneath the water and provide food for other riverine wildlife, become dislodged and float into a seine net held by a volunteer. Volunteers carry the net to the bank, then carefully pick through the contents. They identify and categorize the aquatic life they find, and score them according to a standard rubric.
Some organisms, such as mayfly nymphs, stonefly nymphs, and gilled snails, are highly sensitive to pollutants. Higher numbers of these organisms in the sample will yield a higher SQM score. Others, such as leeches and aquatic worms, are tolerant of polluted environments. A higher ratio of these organisms results in a lower SQM score. SQM scores are rated from poor, which is less than 11 points, to excellent, which is more than 22 points. On this day, the Lillys’ section of the Little Miami scored an excellent 26 points. High quality streams hold healthier populations of game fish, such as the smallmouth bass, a favorite with Ohio fishermen.
ODNR Director Sean Logan waded into the river along with the 4-H students, naturalists, and volunteers. The group poured over their findings together, while naturalist Bill Schieman helped them identify each species, pointing out identifying characteristics of each.
Sean Logan Expresses Governor’s Concern for Ohio’s Rivers
After the final tally was completed and the group had determined that the Little Miami was in excellent condition at that checkpoint, Logan addressed those gathered with a few informal comments, saying,
"This is one of my favorite things to do. I think this is one of the best things you can do with a child to help teach them about the beginnings of the food chain, and why it's so important to conservation. And, it's scientific. It's teaching about biology. When Governor Strickland hired me, he said, ‘Sean, I want you to continue to find ways to help our students reconnect with nature.' Of course, we already have a lot of programs in place, such the SQM program, and Explore the Outdoors. Fish Ohio is a good one, too. We're very proud of Governor Strickland's leadership in finding ways to protect our waterways and help people reconnect with the outdoors. The more we can have people understand it and know it, they'll also protect it. I want to thank everybody who came today, who made this possible. These things are really important."
Brenda Layman - I grew up in eastern Kentucky in a family that hunted, fished, hiked, and camped regularly. Although I moved to Ohio to become a teacher ...
Join the Conversation