Experimental Site:

The unnamed tributary of Maple Creek is a generally SW to NE flowing primary drainage course that is part of the overall dendritic drainage pattern of the entire area. The stream course drops 11m in elevation over a distance of 60m. Average annual precipitation for the site is 102.84 cm/yr. Mean annual Temperature is 12.1º C (U.S.D.A ).

Experimental:

For the mapping of the tributary of Maple Creek compass, tape rule and marker flags were used to mark mapping points (Carter) and record data. A point was marked at the mouth of the tributary, midstream, and another marked midstream at the first bend in the stream bed. Azimuth was determined to and from the markers and recorded. Distance from marker to marker, and width of the stream bed at each marker was recorded. This procedure was repeated at each bend in the stream bed from the outlet into Maple Creek to the point of issue from a drainage culvert beneath the Campus access road. A 16 m² plot shrub plant inventory (Carter) was conducted along the south bank of the tributary approximately 20m west of the convergence with Maple Creek, with individual species and counts recorded. A 1m² herbaceous plant inventory (Carter) was conducted approximately 5 meters west of Maple Creek, 5 meters south of the tributary, with individual species and counts recorded. Faunistic inventory (Carter) was performed over a 15 minute period, with resulting data extrapolated to reflect the number of species seen per hour. Using trowels, soil samples were collected at three specific points along the tributary and measurements taken for pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (LaMotte). Water samples were collected at three specific points along tributary and measurements taken for pH, hardness, CO₂, Silica, Chloride, Nitrogen and Potassium (LaMotte). A separate water sample was collected in a B.O.D., and analyzed for dissolved oxygen content (Carter). Soil temperature was measured with a soil thermometer, relative humidity determined using a sling psychrometer, light intensity determined with a light meter and wind velocity determined using a wind speed meter (Carter).