The NatureMapping Program

FIELD NOTEBOOK SERIES
Wetland Notebook





WETLANDS/STREAMS/OPEN WATER SURVEY DATA SHEET

Date:
Study site no.:
Observer ID:
School Name:
Watershed:
Township/Range:
Section:
County:
Location Description:












OPEN WATER/STREAM/WETLAND HABITAT CATEGORIES:

HABITAT CODE:

With this system you are establishing a three-digit code that best describes the one or more habitats within your study area.

4-OPEN WATER
  • 00-all open water
  • 10-all fresh water
  • 11-freshwater lakes
  • 12-municipal ponds
  • 13-channeled scabland ponds
  • 15-fresh moving water
  • 17-manmade canals
  • 18-irrigation ponds
 5-STREAMS/WETLANDS
  • 0-all wetland types
  • 1-estuarine marsh
  • 2-freshwater marsh
  • 3-riparian
  • 4-vernal pools
  • 5-ocean beaches (vegetated)
  • 6-intermittent streams
    • -0 all wetland vegetation
    • -1 submerged/floating vegetation
    • -2 emergent herbs/shrubs
    • -3 trees-deciduous
    • -4 trees-coniferous

NOTES:





NOTES ON VETEGATION TYPE
grasses:
brush:
deciduous trees:
coniferous trees:
canopy closure:
other:




PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STREAM
stream gradient:
stream aspect:




NOTES ON LAND USE (around the site)
forest:
agricultural:
road:
urban:
commercial:
residential:
other:






NOTES ON SUBSTRATE
% present:
aquatic vegetation: logs, snags: leaf litter:
% present:
sand: gravel: mud:

COMMENTS:



SUBSTRATE COMPOSITION
Inorganic Materials Size(diameter) %present Organic Materials %present
Clay .079 in _______ Logs, branches, stumps, snags _______
Silt .079 in. _______ Fibrous peat (part. decomp. plant material) _______
Sand .002 _______ Pulpy peat (decomp. plant material) _______
Gravel .1-2.5 in. _______ Mud (very fine, black color) _______
Rubble 2.5-10 in. _______
Boulders >10 in. _______


FOREIGN MATERIAL PRESENT
aluminum cans: bottles (glass): plastic: tires: other:


COMMENTS:



WEATHER OBSERVATIONS:



WATER TESTING SURVEY SHEET
factors Test results Q value weighting factor total
1. B.O.D. _____ _____ _____ _____
2. Dissolved oxygen _____ _____ _____ _____
3. Fecal coliform _____ _____ _____ _____
4. Nitrates _____ _____ _____ _____
5. pH _____ _____ _____ _____
6. Temperature _____ _____ _____ _____
7. Total phosphate _____ _____ _____ _____
8. Total solids _____ _____ _____ _____
9. Turbidity _____ _____ _____ _____


OVERALL WATER QUALITY INDEX:_________________



NOTES ON WATER CHEMISTRY:







MACROBENTHIC CHECK-OFF LIST
Major types 1 2 3 4 5 Taxon Index Total Number
Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Stoneflies (Plecoptera) _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Caddisflies (Trichoptera) _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____


NOTES ON BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES: