Methow Restoration Council
 

Living With the Methow River

Monthly Activities and Learning Opportunities

December 2017December

Water Temperature Monitoring

Salmon and trout are sensitve to the temperature of the water around them. This is especially true in the summer months, when high air temperatures and low flows combine to warm the water. Overly warm water interferes with migration and stresses adult and juvenile fish. In extreme cases, such as still water in a disconnected side channel, heat and oxygen depletion can result in fish mortality.

When water temperatures are high, fish seek out areas of colder water. This colder water can come from creeks or other tributaries, springs, or groundwater seeps. The same groundwater that cooled fish in the summer may warm them in the winter, as water from underwater sources seeps into the river at a warmer temperature than the frigid surface water it mixes with.

Water temperature monitoring can take many forms, from a biologist with a thermometer and notepad to an electronic data logger recording temperatures at a location at regular intervals for months at a time. An emerging technology uses a fiber-optic cable to read water temperatures along a long stretch of channel, allowing biologists to analyze temperature changes throughout a system to see what effect things like pools and beaver dams have on water temperatures. Whatever the methods used, temperature monitoring is crucial to understanding conditions in the field. This temperature data helps us understand the condition of existing habitat and the impacts of past habitat projects, and allows us to plan better projects in the future.

New Calendars

New MRC calendars are out! The 2018 calendar features more great block print art by local kids with help from the Methow Arts Alliance and layout by Tara Gregg. Pick up your 2018 calendar at the Riverbank in Twisp, the Twisp Community Center, the Twisp Library, or the Winthrop Library.

 

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2017 Calendar

 

This year’s MRC calendar connects to ADVENTURES, ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION tailored to each month. If you haven't gotten your calendar yet, you can download an electronic version here.

Come back each month and find interactive activities, print outs, and suggested learning opportunities in our community.