The Pine River Watershed EarthCache

This cache has been archived.

HITECHTEAM: Time to let this one go.....it had a nice ride.

Hitechman & Hitechgal

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Hidden : 10/24/2008
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:



Water is one of our most “natural” resources. Without it, there would be no life on earth. Hydrology has evolved as a science in response to the need to understand the complex water system of the earth and help solve water problems.

Hydrology is the science that encompasses the occurrence, distribution, movement and properties of the waters of the earth, and their relationship with the environment within each phase of the hydrologic cycle. The water cycle, or hydrologic cycle, is a continuous process by which water is purified by evaporation and transported from the earth's surface (including the oceans) to the atmosphere and back to the land and oceans. This includes all of the physical, chemical, and biological processes involving water as it travels its various paths in the atmosphere, over and beneath the earth's surface, and through growing plants.



This EarthCache will bring you to the USGS (United States Geolocial Survey) automated gauging station in a city park on the Pine River in Alma, Michigan. This station was put into operation in 1930, and monitors the water level (using a simple staff gauge—a huge ruler mounted on an outer side of the station foundation) and flow volume of the Pine River. The USGS currently operates 166 of these stations on all rivers and some lakes in Michigan.



The Pine River, as with all natural rivers and lakes in Michigan, was formed when the last great continential glacier melted and retreated (leaving the surface of the land scarred and pocketed with a multitude of landforms) over 10,000 years ago. The Pine River sub-basin (or watershed) is 427 square miles in size along its 51-mile length, and covers all the land drained by the river and its’ tributaries (all small creeks and drains). It is a small part of the much larger Saginaw River watershed.

The Pine River begins its journey (source) in Mecosta county at Meeker and Pine Lakes (near the intersection of Michigan highways M-66 and M-20). The river flows southeastly for 18 miles, then south for 8 miles along the Gratiot-Montcalm county line, and then northeasterly for 25 miles though Alma and Saint Louis. The Pine River ends at its confluence with the Chippawa River, 3 miles west of Midland, Michigan.



The water in the Pine River is mainly supplied by precipitation—mainly through surface runoff. Groundwater recharge is a present, but a minor source of water supply for the river. Discharge is dependent upon the amount of snowmelt, precipitation, and ground water inflow/outflow—thus the river level and flow varies greatly by season. A small dam in Blanchard, a larger dam in Alma, and a power dam in Saint Louis are man-made modifications that affect flow and discharge (and create small, shallow lakes). About 2/3 of the eastern portion of the watershed is heavily farmed, and a moderate amount of crop irrigation from ground water occurs. This practice has an impact on the discharge rate during the drier, crop-growing months.

The upper 1/3 of the river is wooded, and fed by springs, lakes, and wooded swampland drainage. The water here is clear (well filtered), cool, and the bottom is sandy. It supports a small population of brown trout—a good indicator of a high water quality.

As its’ course nears Alma, a series of 2 dams slow the waters progress, and allow the temperature of the water to increase. The runoff from the many agricultural operations (especially from the small drainage ditches that were constructed to drain this area so farming could be successful) in this area contains many pesticides and animal wastes. Fertilizers from the lawns of city residents also “run off” into the river. This has increased the rate of eutrophication—these nutrients cause an increased growth of algae and other water plants. Evidence of this is obvious by observation of the “weedy” bottom and algal blooms in the summer and fall along the rest of ithe rivers' length.

In the mid 1900’s a chemical plant (Vesicol-Michigan Chemical) at St. Louis produced DDT and PCB, which contaminated the river and surrounding land (downstream from St. Louis). The old Total Refinery (crude oil) in Alma also deposited some waste byproducts in the River. The environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been cleaning up these sites for the last 10 years, but currently, there are no funds available to finish this project. Tests have indicated that there is a contamination of the ground water in this area, and the City of St. Louis is currently looking for funding to find a new source for a water supply to the city residents.




Aerial view of Michigan Chemical looking SW circa 1965.
The Pine River is in the foreground and upper right.
Thanks to roadstar6063 for the photograph.




Today


The rate of discharge of the Pine River is very low because of all of the reasons discussed above. This low rate of discharge, plus the application of modern agricultural conservation practices (CRP), greatly reduces the amount and transport of sediment in the flowing water, and erosion along its length is at a minimum (a good thing). Suspended and deposited sediments greatly reduce water quality. The waters of the Pine River “run clear” except during the heaviest rains and the spring snowmelt.

A big thank you to Aeric Ripley, Assistant City Manager (Alma, Michigan), for allowing the placement of this EarthCache, and to my husband, hitechman, for his help in setting this up. As always, leave no trace of your visit.




Platinum EarthCache Master


BE CAREFUL—THE RIVER BANK IS STEEP HERE!


To log your visit you must (no exceptions to these requirements will be made):

1) Make an estimate as to the width (in feet) of the river (use the pathway bridge just 20 yards to the south of the station location to do this).

2) Record the elevation at the coordinates.

3) Describe the clarity of the water on the day of your visit. Why do you think it is like this today?

4) Estimate the river flow speed (descriptive as opposed to a numerical value), and state why you think the Pine River is “flowing like it is” at this location at the time of your visit?

5a) Measure the depth of the river from the footbridge at 5 equidistant locations using a SETI disk (string with a weight on the end). E-mail us the answers to this describing the specific location of each depth reading and the respective depth.
OR

5b) Take (and post with your log) a picture near the coordinates clearly showing some aspect of the geology of the river at this site. You do not have to include you/your team or the station in the photo, but feel free to do so.

Each cacher/log must E-mail me the answers to questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5a (unless a photo is posted with your log), or your log will be deleted--do not post the answers in your log entry. A "Team" e-mail and/or photo will only count for the cacher that sends it to us, and not for other members of the "TEAM".

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Guvf pnpur fubhyq or irel jvagre sevraqyl. Cnexvat vf ninvynoyr ba gur jrfg fvqr bs pvgl unyy be oruvaq gur tnf fgngvba ba gur pbeare.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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