Cold Water Creek

The grasses, sedges and wildflowers have grown abundant and have taken over the trail and the banks of the creek. It is hard to see the ground when travelling to the sample site. The left bank edge is covered and grasses and it is hard to get to the surface water.
There were wildflowers blooming, no signs or sounds from wildlife. There are multiple types of algae present not sure if they are different species, too hard to tell.

The grass is very high, and is obstructing visibility for footing. There is holes and rocks that can not be seen through grass. There could be wildlife hidden in the grass, beware.
The grassess were high and some were going to seed. There is a mixture of wildflowers. There is aquatic vegatation present such as millifoil and algae. There is for-get -me -nots that are blooming on the shoreline. There are FMN that are fully submerged underwater and have grown underwater. The algae is dark green puck shaped and long strings that resemble cladaphoria. There was no wildlife present but there was a lot of traffic in this rural area for a Saturday morning.

The site is safe to access, there is long grass which could stop community members from safely accessing the site. Be sure to watch your step , and be careful on slippery rocks.
There was lots of bugs, please wear bug spray. The grass are long and ticks in the grass will climb up your pants. Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.

Watch your footing. there are hidden rocks in the grasses.
There was several aquatic plants- see photos. Should be identified. Elodea Canadensis. And what looks like water forget-me-nots but they are completely submerged and are located in the middle of the creek. I am not sure of the identification BUT they do appear to be. Check into this.
The types of Algae visible are unique. They are formed around sediment, and look in different shapes.

The site is safe to access but the water should not be entered by the culvert as the flow is moving fast and is strong. There is a lot of natural debris upstream from the culvert that if dislodged could create additional safety concerns in the near future. Odour: Decomposing/Rotting.
There were a lot of black flies, and mosquitos. There were several types of aquatic vegetation that has grown including algae, water forget-me -nots and Vernal Water-starwort and Eldoea canadensis. The water was brown and cloudy possibly from the rainfall event throughout the last 24hrs. The substrate has changed since last monitoring season- there is more sand then last season. There is an abundance of debris blocking the culverts slowing the water and increasing the depth- possibly creating the cloudy appearance. This is not due to a beaver but rather debris that has locked up at the culvert entrances. There is much more natural debris such as whole trees in the bottom of the creek that were not visible to the naked eye last monitoring season.

Safe to monitor.

The site is safe to access from on right bank. This is the easiest way to sample, so that the snow bank does not break off when standing on it.
Odour: The culverts have a rotting smell coming out of them probably from decompostion.
Four Blue Herons seen- were scared a flew away when arrived. They were eatting near the algae. Or eatting the algae but not sure of which species they were interested in- they did not look interested in the cladaphoria.

The site is safe, be careful when approaching as the snow banks on left bank are over 12 metre snow pack and since the south sun does not hit the banks- there is a dangerous escarpment on left bank- approach site on the right bank, as it is safer.
There was no birds present but there was evidence of the beaver awake or in the area that brought a tree to the front of the mouth of the two culverts. There is algae present upstream from the site which resembles chladophoria, and green and blue algae. The shapes are unique and were present all winter long, healthy green and growing.
previoulsy sampled as a urban area but community members identified wrong this site is sampled and is in the vicsinity of rural disharge and residential.

The banks of snow on the edges are about to fall, it=f the weather warns be sure to use right bank to access water. This is because the sun hits right bank and you can see solid ground.
The algae is incredible. It is growing in strange patterns and in perfect circles. I will investigate the algae under the microscope to identify species. The area the algae is growing looks like there is a geological formation and a stump decomposing, potentially feeding the algae. There were tracks that look like a muskrat coming out of the water on left bank. The snow is pack so very easily and safe to move on.

The site is safe overall, the sample must be taken from right bank because when accessing the sample area, the snow bank escarpment can not be seen. The right bank receives more sunlight so the snow is pack and the grass banks of the creek can be seen to access safely.
Odour: Decomposing/Rotting.
There were deer tracks and two mallards on the creek, a male and a female. This is my first sightings of wildlife on this creek, besides a beaver. The aquatic vegetation, not sure what it was. Will look up, pictures include the vegetation. There is some incredible algae in the cold water that looks like it is growing in formations like fungus up walls. The algae are perfect circles, very strange observation. Will look into it further, and the species type.