Equipment Needed
The following is a list of equipment needed to properly perform data collection. You may want to purchase durable totes to store and transport equipment for each parameter. Don’t forget a copy of the WE lesson plan for each parameter.
Prevent the spread of invasives and extend the life of your gear
- Use hot (140° F) water to clean your equipment
- Spray equipment with a high-pressure washer. If hot water is not available, a commercial hot water car wash also makes an ideal location to wash your gear
- Dry everything before entering new waters. Allow equipment to dry to the touch and then allow it to dry an additional 48 hours
- Thick and dense material like life jackets and felt-soled wading gear will hold moisture longer, take longer to dry, and can be more difficult to clean
Equipment needed for physical parameters, stream walk, and mapping
- Hip boots/waders (as many as needed)
- Armored thermometer (Celsius)
- Aluminum meter stick
- 50-meter measuring tape
- Wooden stakes
- Compass
- Hammer or mallet for driving stakes
- Cord or string
- Float (apple or orange or tennis ball)
- Colored clothespins (optional)
- Stopwatch (optional; may use smartphone)
- Calculator (optional; may use smartphone)
- Plant and aquatic field guides
- Copies of data sheets, stream walk papers, pencils and clipboards
- Topographical map of stream and watershed
- Higbee Stream Map of Pennsylvania
Equipment needed for chemical parameters
- Iron test kit
- pH test kit
- Dissolved oxygen test kit
- Total Hardness test kit
- Turbidity test kit
- Nitrates test kit
- Alkalinity test kit
- Leak proof container for chemical wastes and a funnel
- Distilled water
- First Aid Kit and eye wash kit
- Safety goggles
- Nitrile gloves
- Copies of chemical data sheets, clipboards and pencils
Equipment needed for biological parameters
- 1 x 1 meter fine mesh kick net with poles
- Handheld nets
- Pans for macroinvertebrates (plastic or enamel - white)
- Entomological forceps (featherweight) or small paintbrushes
- Spray bottles
- Magnifying bug boxes
- White plastic ice cube trays for sorting macros
- Laminated Macro ID keys & field guides
- Copies of biological data sheets, clipboards and pencils