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Kettle Creek Conservation Authority Kettle Creek Conservation Authority
  • Home
  • Watershed Programs
    • Environmental Monitoring
      • Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
      • Wildlife Monitoring
      • Surface Water and Groundwater Monitoring
      • Watershed Report Card
    • Stewardship
      • Kettle Creek Clean Water Initiative
      • Elgin Clean Water Program
      • How Can You Help?
    • Tree Planting & Forestry
      • Seedling Program
      • Greening Communities
      • Community Forest
      • Elgin County Woodlands Conservation By-law #05-03
    • Source Water Protection
      • Source Water Annual Report 2016
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Conservation Areas
    • Camping
      • Dalewood Conservation Area
      • Lake Whittaker Conservation Area
    • Seasonal Camping
    • Fees
    • Hiking Trails
    • Day Use/Picnicking
    • Kettle Creek Dog Park
    • Pavilion Rentals
    • Signage and Access Policy
  • Planning and Regulations
    • Permits
    • Planning Services
    • Regulation Services
    • Natural Hazards
    • Flood Forecasting and Warning
      • Flood Forecasting and Water Levels
    • Elgin County Shoreline Management Plan
    • Regulation Limit Mapping Request
  • Education
    • Book a class
    • Environmental Youth Corps Program
    • St. Thomas-Elgin Children’s Water Festival
    • Carolinian Forest Festival
    • Scholarship
  • About Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Meetings & Minutes
    • Financial Overview
    • RFPs
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
    • Volunteer
    • News
    • FAQs
    • Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
  • Contact

Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring

Typical benthic invertebrates are animals such as snails, crayfish, clams, leeches, worms and the larval stages of dragonflies, mayflies, stoneflies and beetles that spend some or all of their lives in water. These organisms provide a good indicator of the quality of the water through the presence or absence of certain groups and species.

 

Benthic macroinvertebrates are animals without backbones that can be seen with the naked eye that live in the creek during some period of their life. These organisms are often used to monitor water quality in river, creeks and steams. These make good health indicators of aquatic ecosystems for a number of reasons:

  • limited mobility that makes them vulnerable to many creek stresses;
  • short life cycles;
  • easily collected and identified all year round, and
  • exist pretty much everywhere.

 

 

Sensitive Species

Some benthic organisms, such as mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies are very sensitive to pollution. Finding these organisms in our samples is a good indicator of a healthy environment.

 

Pollution Tolerant

Some benthic critters are tolerant of pollution , such as worms, leeches and chironomids. Finding these organisms in our samples is a good indication that the environment is being negatively impacted by pollution.

 

Healthy Habitats

Healthy rivers, creeks and streams will also have a large population of benthic macroinvertebrates with high species diversity—meaning that there is a large variety of critters to be found within the bottom muck.

Benthic Sampling
Benthic invertebrate samples are collected according to the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network protocol, whereby a “kick and sweep” sample is taken using a D-net across two different riffle transects in a stream segment. Each sample is sorted in the KCCA wet lab and individual specimens are identified to family level. The relative health of the watercourse can be determined from the number and types of organisms found in the samples.

Staff Contact

Office Hours
8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Jennifer Dow
Water Conservation Supervisor
Tel: (519) 631-1270 ext. 228
Email: jennifer@kettlecreekconservation.on.ca

Worried about flooding?

For up-to-date flood information, watershed residents and businesses can connect with KCCA socially on Twitter or on Facebook

Are you interested in becoming a Citizen Scientist?

KCCA is looking for Citizen Scientists who are interested in collecting or assisting KCCA staff in collecting environmental data. Both volunteers and researchers can potentially benefit from citizen scientist programs. Volunteers can increase their knowledge and understanding of the scientific process, gain a deeper understanding of the watershed and strengthen their attitudes towards the natural environment.

Citizen Scientists

Contact Us

Send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

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  • Kettle Creek Conservation Authority
  • 44015 Ferguson Line
  • 519.631.1270
  • 519.631.5026
  • info@kettlecreekconservation.on.ca

Charitable Registration Number: 10756 5806 RR0001

Conservation Ontario

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