Water Quality Monitoring at Little McAllister Creek

1. Water Quality Monitoring at Little McAllister Creek Meadows Elementary March 21, 2013 13

2. Monitoring Site Summary • Located off Mallard Drive SE, near Meadows Elementary, on land co-managed by Thurston County and Alpine Meadows Homeowners association. • The headwaters (source) of the Little McAllister Creek is McAllister Springs Lake. • The mouth of Little McAllister Creek is located near Old Pacific Hwy and Reservation Rd. where it joins the main stem of McAllister Creek.

3. Monitoring Site Description • The place we go to monitor Little McAllister Creek is in our school neighborhood, in the Alpine Meadows sub-division. We can walk there, but we have to get someone to unlock the gate for us. On our walk, we pass many houses, yards, a small playground, some green open space, and several stormwater retention ponds.

4. Brief watershed Overview • Important features of the watershed include: • Forests of cedar, fir, alder and maple trees; • Habitats for insects, animals, fish, birds and humans; • Current issues in the watershed include: • dog waste, fertilizer, cans and bottles, soap from car washing and oil leaks from cars. • Some areas prone to flooding • Failing septic systems

5. Water Quality Data

6. Data Interpretation We think dog waste may be causing a higher level of nitrates. Fertilizer from lawns might be another cause. Our ideas to improve water quality at our site include: Encourage pet owners to pick up after their dogs, keep dogs from running loose, and walk dogs on a leash Encourage people to use less fertilizer, or practice organic methods of gardening.