August 14, 2026
Hello everyone!
We hope you’ve all been having a great week! Our crew had another busy week out in the field.
We started the week with macroinvertebrate surveys. We headed out to our streams with a kick net to collect aquatic insects and other small organisms living within the streambed. These little creatures can tell us a lot about the health of a waterway. Different species have different levels of tolerance to changes in water quality. By collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates, we can get a better understanding of the ecological condition of our streams.
On Wednesday our coastal team went out to Tryon on the canoe to do upper-reach grass surveys. By identifying the salt resistant vegetation growing as we headed upstream, we could determine how far the water remained brackish. We went up two reaches and recorded data points on where the fresh water plants would start to appear.
We also took a trip up to Kensington to help with expanding the estuary. Two of our technicians helped run the water pump to dredge silt off the bottom. Always good to see our friends up at Kensington North Watersheds Association.
Of course, we also continued our ongoing woody material management. Our crew worked in and around Desable to clear blockages and remove dead branches to clear fish passage. At the same time we also made sure to leave plenty of cover and only remove what is necessary. We also took a trip to beaver town in Tryon to put in a couple of brush matts.
We finish off the week by getting ready for our upcoming Swim for the South Shore charity event! Our crew has been busy preparing for the big day and making sure everything is ready to go. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone out and supporting our watershed!
We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
Love, SSWA
