Investigating Stream Ecology in a Local Watershed

On the forested, north-facing slope of Saint Regis Mountain, across the lake from our campus, our students in Stream Ecology, in Fisheries Techniques, and in senior capstone projects have been studying a network of woodland tributaries since 2004. This project is known as the Smitty Creek Watershed Long-term Ecological Research Project. Students work closely with faculty to systematically collect, identify, and document changes in fish communities, assess stream health using aquatic insects, and monitor changes in physical habitat. In doing so, the students are technically trained to conduct field studies, compare their findings to stream theories, and contribute to a long-term ecological monitoring database project.