Monitoring Streams

On Tuesdays I monitor two streams.   This one is Coon Creek at a pedestrian overpass just before the creek enters the Mississippi below the Coon Rapids Dam.  Today the water was exceptionally clear.  I could see my secchi disk at more than 100 cm.  The water was cold though, only 60 degrees.  When I dropped my bucket down off the bridge toward the water I scared a mallard who swam quickly downstream.

The second stream is the Rum River at the Pleasant Ave. bridge.  I'm looking at Highway 10 in the distance.  The water was clear to 83 cm. and the temperature was also 60 degrees.  I think today was my 16th visit of the season.