
By OB25
Turbidity relates to the sediment in the ground - cloudiness, means more particles. These pieces can get trapped in the salmon's gills and suffocate them. In Bowker Creek, the issue is the soil on the side of the banks. Turbidity or haziness in the water can cause many hazards, like suffocating the fish and their inability to see clearly.

By OB25
Although our plan for Bowker Creek may seem ideal, there are flaws that we must address before beginning the project. One being, the issue with excess stormwater contributing to the creek's water volume, and because there is plenty road runoff emptying into Bowker, the dirty water affects the turbidity and the salmon cannot withstand the haziness.

1In 1 playlists
By OB22
The best way to maintain the creek as we know it is more of what we are seeing now, which is having students and community help to eliminate invasive plants and harbor native ones.

By OB25
Adult coho need a clear route to their spawning to lay their eggs. Bowker creek is 60% underground and the network of tunnels through which the creek flows would limit if not block salmon access to estuaries, meaning Bowker Creek is currently unsuitable for supporting a salmon run. View the next slide for a visual.

1In 1 playlists
By OB22
Maintaining the Bowker Creeka area won't and hasn't been easy, but it is possible and essential that it happens. We, as a school and a community need to take action and keep this creek as healthy as possible, and I'm sure we will. This creek is a prime example of how powerful of a force a good and motivated school can be. Thanks for watching.

1In 1 playlists
By OB22
The final way to maintain the creek is to create a strong relationship between the school and the creek, because believe it or not, if the students have a connection with the creek, they will take good care of it and teach others to.

1In 1 playlists
By OB22
We can also maintain our creek's ecosystem by picking up garbage (or not throwing in there in the first place).

1In 1 playlists
By OB22
In the 60's and 70's the philosophy was water management, (storm drains all lead to the creek to reduce flooding) and the philosophy now is to have something with ecological and educational value to the school and community.