Thanks to the Internet, citizen science has come a long way! Twenty or thirty years ago, it would have been extremely difficult to find information about what kinds of bugs are in streams. However, by typing the key words “freshwater invertebrates” into the Google search bar, there instantly appears several versions of identification charts and related books on this topic.

That is exactly what our small group of volunteers did last October and November. We gathered information from the Internet, borrowed a sampling net and proceeded to collect bugs (invertebrates) living on the stream bed of Long Sault Creek near Highland Line in Lanark Highlands Township.

We collected and identified bugs and creepy crawlies upstream and downstream from where this creek passes beside the site where Thomas Cavanagh Construction Limited has applied to establish two massive extraction pits along Highland Line. We also took samples on the more northern branch of Long Sault Creek upstream and downstream from the existing gravel pit, called the McKinnon Pit, which is owned by Arnott Brothers Construction. Both companies are asking to go below the water table, which in our opinion will drastically affect the water quality of the surrounding wetlands and Long Sault Creek.

After each sample collection, our group sat around a table in a nearby woodshed and identified all the bugs. One person on the team had lots of experience identifying these critters, so the rest of us sorted out the bugs from the weeds, passed them one a time to her and she called out the name of the species detified and someone else kept a record. “Mayfly” … “Mayfly”…. “Mayfly” … “Damselfly”.. “Mayfly” …

By far, the majority of the bugs counted were Mayfly larvae and Damselfly larvae. We learned that these bugs definitely prefer to live in pollution-free streambeds, so they are a good indicator that both branches Long Sault Creek are unpolluted. We found very few pollution-tolerant invertebrates in comparison to the pollution-sensitive ones.

Coldwater brook trout are known to spawn in Long Sault Creek. It is one of the few natural spawning grounds for these trout in Lanark County. Gravel pits can alter the natural flow of water, which can warm the water and make it difficult for brook trout to find suitable spawning grounds.

Both Cavanagh Construction and Arnott Brothers Construction have applied to dig below the water table, meaning that the upper surface of the water in the ground – also called ground water – and the surface waters in the nearby wetlands and both branches of Long Sault Creek will presumably be affected.

Sediment that can be released into the water surrounding gravel pits can cloud the water and reduce the amount of oxygen available to fish. This depletion of oxygen can be detrimental to brook trout eggs.

Water chemistry can also be altered by these extraction sites: the pH can be lowered and the dissolved solids be increased. This can be stressful to brook trout and make it harder for them to find food, live and find suitable areas to spawn.

In summary, our citizen science project demonstrated how untouched the ecosystem was and still is in both branches of Long Sault Creek. No wonder the brook trout are thriving. You can review our presentation by clicking here.