Bessemer students explore Powdermill Creek watershed

BESSEMER - On a cold, mid-October morning, biology students in Bessemer conducted their annual forestry day and watershed assessment at Powdermill Creek in Bessemer.  

This year brought high water and cool temperatures, according to biology teacher Dave Rowe.  

"The high water made it more difficult to shock and net the trout than usual, but we still caught 15 that morning," he said.  

The annual event has been occurring for about 10 years and it involves students visiting various learning stations during the three-hour outing.

In the first station, students worked with U.S. Forest Service fisheries biologist John Pagel to learn about what factors make a trout stream healthy. As Pagel shocked the fish, the students tried to net them before the stunned fish swam away.  

Pagel told the students, "The habitat you see here today has changed over the past 10 years. Ten years ago the stream had recently been vacated by beavers and we caught many creek chubs and black nosed dace. ...Now 10 years later, the alder has grown back and we catch many more brook trout and mottled sculpin."  

At the second station, students worked with USFS wildlife biologist Brian Bogaczyk to learn about aquatic invertebrates in the creek and what the presence of certain invertebrates means about the health of the stream.  

According to Bogaczyk, "The later than usual timing of the field trip has put us at the end of the growing season for the invertebrates and most of them have undergone their metamorphosis and in terms of caddis flies; we only found empty caddis fly cases."

In the third station, Harry Collins of Chaney Lake talked about historical and medicinal uses of plants.  

According to Collins, "I like to show the students that many plants have important uses and that when you are in the woods, it should be fun."  

Collins provided pickled leeks for students to try and he showed students how to "pop" blisters on balsam fir trees to make a decongestant when the sap and water are boiled in an old soup can.  

In the fourth station, students worked with Matt Konoske from Keweenaw Land Associates to learn about the tools a forester uses and how a forester determines which cutting strategies to use in a given area.  

In the last station, Rowe took students to three areas near the river to talk about geocaching and forest succession. In one area, the succession was caused by a blow-down or four trees that caused a gap in the canopy. In another area, the succession was caused by beaver activity and in the third area, the succession was in an old field that was reverting to a forest.  

Trout quiz

At the end of the trip the students were asked to reflect on their experience and answer the question, "Is Powdermill Creek a healthy trout stream?"  

Sophomore Ben Bogaczyk said, "According to what we found with the fish species and aquatic invertebrates, Powdermill Creek seems very healthy. ... The fish that we found to support this are 15 brook trout and seven mottled sculpin and the aquatic invertebrate species that we found were dragon fly larva and caddis fly coccoons. ... The water temperature was great and in the mid-40s and there was plenty of shade along the banks."

When asked about the aquatic invertebrates, sophomore Blayne Pellinen said, "Aquatic invertebrates are sensitive to pollution and they are a major source of food for fish and they usually live on or under the rocks."  

Sophomore Ciara Novascone said, "I had fun catching the fish and looking at how pretty they were."  

Sophomore Rachel Emery said, "I had fun shocking the stream because you don't know what you are going to find and I will always remember popping the sap out of the balsam fir trees."

Rowe reflected on the trip later.

"Cooperative outings and field experiences have consistently paid big dividends for the students," he said.

"By working with the U.S. Forest Service, Keweenaw Land Associates, landowners and community members, we have helped students to appreciate the biological diversity of our area and the Powdermill Creek watershed."