Bear Creek: Exploring Hamilton County's Diverse Watersheds

1. Hamilton County is comprised of three different watersheds: The Wabash, the Big Muddy and the Saline River. Bear Creek is part of the Saline River Watershed because the water it collects will eventually find its way into the Saline River. The Saline flows into the Ohio River south of Shawneetown.

2. Bear Creek is classified as an intermediate stream. Intermediate streams lack flowing water during parts of the year, although pools may persist in the creek bed.

3. Temporary pools present special problems for aquatic organisms. Decreases in dissolved oxygen, increases in temperature and a wide range of population density-dependent factors effect which species survive or perish.

4. Larger pools tend to be more stable than smaller pools. This pool contained two different species of minnows.

5. Organisms trapped in smaller ponds are more vulnerable to predators. This pool contained only one species of minnow and a smaller number of fish.

6. This pool contained no fish, but it does contain a kitchen sink!

7. Erosion and deposition are two important factors forming the stream bed.

8. Riffles are erosional habitats defined by flowing water over a coarse substrate which results in oxygenated water.

9. We’re not sure who the culvert pipe belongs to…tree roots help to stabilize the creek bank. Some species are better adapted at erosion control than others. The bright yellow roots exposed along the creek belong to the Osage Orange, Maclura pomifera.

10. Osage Orange is not native to Illinois. In the early 1900’s it was widely planted as a wind-break and as a “living fence.” The large fruit, or, “hedge apples” were eaten by several of the “mega-fauna” which disappeared about 10,000 years ago. While horses may eat them, another common name is “horse apple”, they are a problem along the creek due to their fruit fouling the water in the temporary pools. The fruit contained in the wheel-barrow is just a small part of the produce of one tree. Do the fruit really repel spiders?

11. The plant species found along the creek reflect a history of different land use practices. Most recently the area was farmland used by our FFA for row crops. Prior to the Unit 10 owning the property it was uses as pasture and row crop rotation. The timber was harvested along the creek about 1971 before the land was sold to the Unit.

12. The area along a creek can serve either as a place where native plants are protected from human activities or as highways for the invasion of exotic species (Hatfield, C.A. 2000). The evidence along the Unit 10 portion of the creek would suggest the latter.

13. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) was originally introduced about two hundred years ago as a garden plant. While it provides green in the winter and lovely, sweet-smelling flowering during the summer, it is now classified as a noxious weed in Illinois. It presents the greatest threat to plant diversity along the upper sections of Bear Creek.

14. In April of 2004 the area north of the ditch was hand worked to remove honeysuckle. The plants had smothered the undergrowth and were strangling young saplings, many of which still bear the spiral scars made by the honeysuckle vines.

15. There is still much to do with stabilizing the creek bank…

16. …and replacing the species which have been displaced by human activities and exotic invaders.

17. Work crews are always needed to keep the pathways in order.

18. Wood chips donated from the City of McLeansboro are used to mulch the trails.

19. There is much to see along the trails. Information signs should be in place by May 2006!

20. A bulldozer in a field in this instance is a promise of wetlands to come.