Northern CA PPSR Projects 1

Big Chico Creek Youth Stream Team

• Organization Name

  California Urban Streams Alliance - The Stream Team
• Project Website

  http://www.thestreamteam.org/nodes/projects/youthteam.htm; http://www.bigchicocreek.org/nodes/projects/streamteam/stream_youth_team.htm
• Organization Website

  http://www.bigchicocreek.org/ , http://www.thestreamteam.org
• Partners

  City of Chico Park Division's Volunteer Program; CUSD
• Contact Name

  Timmaire Hamill
• Contact Email

  thamill@sunset.net
• Contact Phone

  342-6620
• Other Contact Information

  N / A
• Project Purpose (taken from project materials)

  • Provide useful baseline information that can be used to track a variety of potential impacts - such as non-point source pollutants can flow from the land into creeks including sediment, synthetic materials from our roads and automobiles, fertilizers, nutrients, sewage leaks, and animal wastes - that can stress aquatic systems and impair their beneficial functions. 
  • Facilitate the ability to track changes over time and help prioritize efforts for identifying sources of pollutants, and appropriate land use changes needed to minimize impacts and protect the ecological health of the Big Chico Creek watershed
  • Teach kids robust environmental information gathering techniques and instigate a life-long appreciation for Big Chico Creek
  • Link on-going watershed monitoring and restoration efforts with the educational needs of K-12 students
• Participant Activities

  Youth Stream Teams participate in watershed assessments, restoration plantings, natural history hikes, public presentations, and surveys. Teams meet individually, and as an all-school group throughout the year. Meetings take place in an outdoor setting.

  Youth Stream Team students also map runoff areas on their campus, test storm water runoff, and learn about land use practices that can potentially cause water pollution and solutions for preventing urban runoff.

• Data Entry

  • Unknown
• Other Participant Activities

  Meetings include pre/post classroom activities maintaining links to classroom content.

• System Studied

  • Water Quality
  • Habitat Restoration
  • Wetlands - Freshwater Streams and Marshes
• Geographic Scope

  Local
• Region

  Butte
• Location

  Big Chico Creek Watershed
• Location - Map

  Big Chico Creek, CA
• Time Commitment

  • Other (see Other Information below)
• Volunteer Qualifications

  Youth Stream Teams are formed from Middle/High, and Juvenile Court schools throughout Butte County. 

• Volunteer Training

  the program serves as a "mechanism to inform youngsters of the ecological functions of the Creek, potential impacts to the Creek, and ways to protect the Creek."

  Over the course of the program, topics includes:

  • proper use of equipment and common protocols used to assess stream health.
  • overview of common restoration practices and site-specific planting techniques including pre-post monitoring methods.
  • an overview of the ecology, and cultural relevance of the Big Chico Creek Watershed.
  • Storm Drain Marking and urban pollution prevention tips
  • public presentation of results 

  Supplies needed for Stream Team activities are provided.

• Cost to Participant

  N / A
• How will the findings be used?

  N / A
• Other Information

  N / A
• Photo

  
• last update:

  9/26/12