10 Jul Water Works

These past couple of weeks we have been transitioning from the bird surveys to stream surveys. My position as a Bio Tech intern consists mostly of collecting data for ongoing National Park Service projects, habitat management, and generally just being outdoors. I don’t interact with visitors at all, and we mostly just work outside or in the office on rainy days.

I was ecstatic when the Chief of Natural Resources told me that part of my job could consist of going on hikes and snapping pictures for the park. I love to capture glimpses that inspire the wonder and awe that one feels outside, but it can be hard to put that feeling into an image. I am so fortunate to be in a position that gives me the opportunity to pursue that endeavor. The stream survey that we are conducting is part of a long-term study designed to help park employees make decisions and plans regarding erosion and other water issues in the park. It is crucial that, as scientists, we make decisions based on observations backed up by data. The current study is on its sixth year. I am having fun learning how to use new equipment and learning field techniques applied by hydrologists everywhere. Water is one of our most important resources, and learning how it affects the surrounding environments and the land that it moves across has been insightful and humbling. Water literally moves the earth. I am in awe of its strength and capacity to change landscapes, even though I only witness it at a small scale.