Surveyed Some Sites Before the Big Rains

/in /by

According to the 2009 5-Year Review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Unarmored Threespine Stickleback there are several known locations of UTS populations in and around the Santa Clarita Valley. A little over a week ago I went out to my five focus sites: 2 in the Santa Clara River, where the Valencia Waste-water Treatment Plant expels its treated water (under McBean Bridge and Bouquet Bridge), San Francisquito Canyon, Bouquet Creek, and Soledad Canyon. Each of these sites were said to support UTS popuations as of 2009. When I went to these sites I not only looked for fish but took pictures and made observations before the El Niño storms hit. For this post my main focus will be on the treated water release site under McBean Bridge. A few months ago I posted pictures from the first time I want to this site. Through those observations I found the following: there were no fish whatsoever, the water was foamy and polluted, and the water ended downstream just shy of the Iron Horse Trail off of Magic Mountain Parkway. Here are some observations from my latest visit:

This shows the area where the water is released. McBean Bridge can be seen in the background
This shows the area where the water is released. McBean Bridge can be seen in the background
Here my dad (who insisted on coming in case of any unfavorable hobo encounters) is helping me look for stickleback in the murky water.
Here my dad (who insisted on coming in case of any unfavorable hobo encounters) is helping me look for stickleback in the murky water.
This is farther downstream where the water ended. The last time I was in this location the water only went as far as the metal pipe in the background.
This is farther downstream where the water ended. The last time I was in this location the water only went as far as the large metal pipe in the background.

 

 

 

Here is just a pool of water downstream. No sign of aquatic life found.
Here is just a pool of water downstream. No sign of aquatic life found.
I took this picture to compare to my last post from this location. I posted a picture of some mysterious orange growth in the water. This is the same spot and the orange growth is now gone. Probably from the few incidents of rain since the last visit.
I took this picture to compare to my last post from this location. I posted a picture of some mysterious orange growth in the water. This is the same spot and the orange growth is now gone. Probably from the few incidents of rain since the last visit.

 

 

IMG_1123
As like the last visit I have not found any stickleback in the area.
These really have nothing to do with my project I just thought they were kind of cool when I stumbled upon them in the riverbed. Animal prints dried in thick slabs of dirt.
These really have nothing to do with my project I just thought they were kind of cool when I stumbled upon them in the riverbed. Animal prints dried in thick slabs of dirt.

 

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