Montgomery High School: Creek Restoration

A small group of Montgomery High students have been working with STRAW and other local agencies to restore sections of nearby Matanzas Creek and Spring Creek. Both creeks run past the school site and merge further west into Santa Rosa creek, eventually joining the Russian River. Our students have been monitoring the creeks' health, removing invasive species, planting natives, and learning about the complex riparian ecosystem.

Invasive Species Removal

Since 2003, our students have been removing Himalayan Blackberry from Spring Creek to the North of the school and both Vinca and English Ivy from Matanzas Creek near Doyle Park.

Himalayan Blackberry            English Ivy

Vinca

The San Francisco Chronicle wrote an article about the STRAW project at our restoration.

Monitoring Creek Health: Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment

Our students were involved in a study of Matanzas Creek that uses the relative abundance of certain pollution sensitive species of insects to determine the health of the creek. This is a long term study that involves many local high schools and the City of Santa Rosa. The information collected by our students allows the city to monitor Creek health. As part of this study our students also make other measurements of creek health such as temperature, turbidity, pH, amount of dissolved oxygen, phosphates, nitrates, and creek structure.

Mayfly, Stonefly, Caddis Fly larvae, when present in significant amounts, indicate a healthy creek.

The Adult Forms:

mayfly (adult)                 stonefly (adult)                caddisfly (adult)

The Larval Forms:

mayfly larvae                     stonefly larvae          caddis fly larvae

Raising Steelhead Trout in the Classroom

Our students learned about the life cycle and ecology of the steelhead salmon by raising them from eggs. The eggs came from Warm Springs Dam and after reaching the fry stage will be released within their native Russian River watershed at Matanzas Creek. Students learned about the incredible journey of the steelhead and the ways in which human impacts such as dams, fishing, and sediment pollution can adversely affect them. Students also learned the complex food web that interrelates creatures within the riparian ecosystem.

Return to the STRAW Summit 2007