What does a dedicated group of anglers do when sediment threatens to bury the habitat of their prized sport fish, the redband trout? Citizen science! Spokane Falls Trout Unlimited (SFTU) is leading a study to understand the intensity and duration of sediment pollution in Hangman Creek and how that effects the Spokane River.
Sediment from Hangman Creek pollutes the Spokane River 1/9/18
Hangman Creek is well known for containing heavy loads of dirt and spewing sediment into the Spokane River. How the problems in Hangman Creek impact turbidity (water clarity) in the Spokane River is not well studied. The SFTU study aims to document these impacts using a group of dedicated volunteers.
Citizen scientists of all ages help with the study.
The study monitors turbidity using secchi tubes in the Spokane River above and below the mouth of Hangman Creek, as well as in the Creek itself. Other citizen scientists will be collecting data downstream in Lake Spokane. Once compiled, these data will be used to determine the intensity of sediment pollution during trout spawning and near known areas of spawning habitat.