Kicking it in a Creek

A method to figuring out how healthy a creek can be is to check out the creatures crawling about in the water. And a method to this method is net kicking! We clambered into three feet of a strong current and planted nets in the bottom and kick up the stones and mud on the bottom to force the bottom-dwelling invertebrates into the current, which pushes them into the nets. We gathered worms, larvae, helgrammites, nymphs, and even baby crayfish. Although some of us got soaked pants and a wet shoulder from reaching in the water, it was still super interesting looking at the wiggling beings that thrive in the creek.