STUDENT WATERSHED RESEARCH AT ALBION COLLEGE; BENEFITS OF A LONG TERM COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

Our work with Albion College undergraduates on local watersheds began in 2000, spurred by citizens‘ concern over disposal of treated wastewater into Rice Creek, a tributary to the Kalamazoo River in south-central Michigan. In 2001, partnered with the Calhoun County Conservation District, we were awarded a two-year watershed planning grant which allowed us to involve 22 students and 10 faculty mentors in a multidisciplinary study. Several management-related conclusions were drawn. Dredging along portions of Rice Creek increases baseflow and reduces water temperature , allowing a successful trout- stocking program by the State. We recommended against reconnection to historic wetlands. Daily cycles of turbidity occur, with turbidity levels up to 3x day-time levels at night. Phosphate levels averaged 66ppb, but during wastewater releases levels reached over 750ppb, and exceeded 100 ppb for over 10 Km downstream. These levels rapidly dissipated following discharge. Macro-invertebrate community scores ranged from excellent to poor, with poor correlating with both natural low-gradient reaches and recently dredged reaches. These findings were made available to the public in our report to the State and several township meetings.

We and several colleagues have continued mentoring student research of local watersheds. This work shows that turbidity cycles are ubiquitous and correlate with increased flow rates from adjacent wetlands at night. The principal pathway of nitrate into the upper Kalamazoo River is through natural springs, which bypass reducing wetland- corridor sediment. River sediments contain over 30x the annual load of the river’s dissolved phosphate, and pore- water is significantly enriched in orthophosphate which is released to the water column, contributing to the river’s dissolved phosphate load.

In all, 35 students have worked on these projects, resulting in 8 student-authored papers at GSA meetings, and 7 honors theses. Many of the students have gone on to related careers. The independent student research has led to many geology and biology class projects. Our experience has been that watershed studies by undergraduates provide both data relevant to management and excellent research experiences for students. Working collaboratively and over many years allows cumulative results of real value.