High School Science Project is a Winner!

Two students in Cloquet, Minnesota; spent the summer collecting insects in Scanlon Creek, for a science project. The two high school students, chose Scanlon Creek, for a school research class they will be starting this autumn. The sampling site was chosen because of the streams being close to a road curb that had an opening to divert runoff into the stream. The two students monitored the stream once a week, this summer, during school summer break.

Results from their science project, gained approval for a rain garden to divert roadway water runoff, into Scanlon Creek (a designated trout stream). The science project, also aided the City of Cloquet, to acquire permits to start a citywide storm-water management system.

The rain garden will filter road water, though the garden, before reaching the trout steam. It will cool the water and trap sediments, as well as reduce the excess flow of water from the roadway, into the stream.

The rain garden, is comprised of sand, compost and native plants.

Community donations, help pay for the the $7,000, needed for the creation of the rain garden. The "before and after" testing of the rain gardens effect on the stream, showed a significant improvement of the stream habitat.

Neat stuff. I fished a river in Illinois that had a feeder stream that was comprised significantly of just sand, and the water running out of there was surprisingly clear (The rest of the river was fairly dingy). Got a nice White Bass on a white woolly bugger right there too.