Patapsco Valley State Park – Volunteering

Earlier this week I spent the day with 1^st graders in Patapsco Valley State Park. They were releasing fish they had raised at their school into the river. There was a ‘field day’ planned around the release and the activity I helped with was looking for macroinvertebrates in the river.

There was a nice pebble beach and gentle slope a little way into river although the current further out was swift due to all the recent rain. The water had run off enough that some pools had separated from the main channel. Our gear was simple: seine nets, strainers, ice cube trays, plastic tubs and jars, magnifiers, and pictures of macroinvertebrates we were likely to find.

The view in the other direction shows the sticks we put into the river to mark the area the 1^st graders were allowed.

The day started out cool but warmed up enough that no one complained about being in the water.

Across the river, some geese with goslings decided to go further upstream before entering river rather than encountering the students.

We did find hellgrammites which are an indicator that the river is clean enough to support ‘sensitive’ macroinvertebrates – a good sign for the fish being released as well.