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Research Goals/ Interdisciplinary Approach
We will be studying
Harker’s Run from an interdisciplinary perspective, using our research
on the social, cultural, and scientific aspects. Our reference point
will be the bridges of Harker’s Run. These bridges will allow us
to study the history of the area, including previous bridge-building efforts;
social aspects such as budget restraints and land use, specifically their
effects on Harker’s Run; cultural aspects such as Native American culture
and recreational use of Bachelor Reserve; and scientific aspects relating
to the watershed and the effects of human disturbance. We will assess
the value of Miami’s restoration efforts in relation to the health and
integrity of the watershed. We hope to include literature and our
own photography to create a complete picture of Harker’s Run.
Preliminary Interdisciplinary Research Design
Social
Harker’s Run is now
part of the Miami University-owned Bachelor Reserve, but this was not always
the case. Our group will look at the detailed history of land use,
as well as budget policy determining resources allocated to the reserve,
zoning (as relates to the surrounding areas), the history of human disturbance
(in terms of agriculture, recreation, environmental effects, and city development),
flood history and patterns, weather changes, and how the course of the
river may have changed due to social factors, and policy relating to the
area. Some specific concerns of ours are the present uses and the impact
its presence has on the community and the university.
One way we plan to acquire
information on the area is through the local police records, speaking with
Miami University Physical Facilities, and with professors who have worked
with Bachelor Reserve. The social aspects of Harker’s Run impact
the public’s ability to use the reserve, popular attitudes towards restoration,
and the overall official future of Harker’s Run.
Cultural
In order to understand
Harker’s Run from a cultural perspective, we would like to look at both
historical and current cultural attitudes of the area. One historical
perspective we find most interesting is that of the Native Americans who
occupied the land in the past and how they related themselves to the area.
We would also like to find the current attitudes of Harker’s Run by interviewing
people who may live/work/use the reserve. We would like to find out
their opinions on changes in the area, land use, success of the reserve,
and why and how they use the area. These interviews will allow us
to collect many different perspectives and attitudes of the area.
To combine ideas and attitudes in our study of Harker’s Run, we would like
to use literature, photography, and film to show the watershed in a more
abstract, creative light.
Scientific
In order to develop a complete
vision of the Harker’s Run watershed, we will incorporate extensive scientific
research that will further inform our social and cultural inquiries into
the land history. Specifically we will be examining aspects of water
chemistry (dissolved oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus) that pertain to diversity,
flow, and agricultural impact. Additionally, we will test sediment
load as an indication of erosion and surrounding vegetation. Biodiversity
of fish and possibly invertebrates will be used as a judgment of river
health. We will also test water discharge, as well as the physical
characteristics of the watershed such as vegetation, the riparian systems,
geography, topography, and the systems of pools and riffles within the
river. These examinations will be conducted on two 100-meter sections
at different points along Harker’s Run; one that contains at least one
of the two bridges, and another in a more remote location, most likely
upstream. The results obtained from these observations will be compared
to each other and to the results of the other systems as well.
The bridges and Miami’s
preservation of the land will provide a framework in which we can examine
our data, allowing us to closely relate the social, cultural, and scientific
aspects as they pertain to the land history. From here, we will be
able to expand the scope of the framework as necessary to further incorporate
aspects that are vital to studying this watershed system, but that do not
fit in this specific context.
Specific Predictions
Part of our study
will involve making comparisons between Harker’s Run, Collin’s Run, and
Western Pond. Right now we can predict how these systems may compare
based on our preliminary knowledge of the areas.
We have observed that
the land use patterns vary pretty significantly from area to area.
While Harker’s Run has been highly disturbed in the past through agriculture,
it seems to be the least disturbed in more recent times. Collin’s
Run flows by areas that have been greatly disturbed, such as the area by
the Oxford Wal-Mart. Western Pond has also been highly affected by
human activity, especially considering that it is a man-made ecosystem.
As a result of these varying levels of disturbance, we predict that Harker’s
Run will be the most biologically diverse system, followed by Collin’s
Run, and then Western Pond.
Water quality also
correlates with disturbance levels. Therefore, we think that Harker’s
Run will have the highest water quality. We also predict that Collin’s
Run will have the lowest due to the more urbanized areas near which it
flows and because of the pollution that can be observed in that system.
Another characteristic
that we are testing and comparing is the discharge of Harker’s Run.
Our predictions for this are based on watershed area as well as the vegetation
surrounding each system. These are somewhat difficult to synthesize,
though. For example, Harker’s Run is the largest watershed, but also
retains the highest vegetation density (which prevents groundwater from
reaching the river). However, with these factors in mind, we predict
that the discharges of Harker’s Run and Collin’s Run will be similar, with
less being discharged from Western Pond.
Finally, we will make predictions
based on sediment load. These are based on the amounts of vegetation
surrounding each system, which influences the rate of erosion. Therefore,
we predict that Western Pond will have the highest sediment load, followed
by Collin’s Run, and then Harker’s Run.
Sources
People
1. Paul Daniel, Professor Emeritus, Zoology: historical and
area information2. Miami University Police: records of human activity (illegal or not)
at the site3. Kim Medley, Miami University Faculty, Department of Geology
4. Miami Physical Facilities: information/policies on bridges, how long
land has been under university control, maps, records
Books & Documents
1. A Report upon population, land use & zoning, Oxford,
Ohio, prepared for the Village Planning Commission by Harland Bartholomew
and Associates, 1950. This will be used in our discussion
of social aspects; we hope to relate the statistics herein to disturbance
levels.2. A Guide to developing local watershed action plans in Ohio, prepared
by State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Surface Water;
writers: Julio Perez et al., 1997. This will be a reference guide
on the restoration and management standards for Ohio watersheds, against
which Miami’s restoration efforts will be measured.3. Ohio supplement to urban hydrology for small watersheds, prepared
by Wayne E. Achor, 1981. We hope to use this document in comparison
with Harker’s Run data.4. Sediment budget analysis for an agricultural watershed in southwestern
Ohio, by Yvonne Patricia Rollins, 1995. We will be comparing this sediment
data with that we take from Harker’s Run.5. The impact of urbanization upon rural land in Butler County, Ohio,
1940-1965, by David Jerome Reith, 1966. This will form part of our historical
knowledge of human disturbance in the area.6. Changes in Oxford, written by Herbert Bradley, 1979(?). This
will also be part of our historical data on the Oxford area.7. Digital soil survey project for Butler County, Ohio: a multi-sponsor
internship, by Rebecca Lynn Roush, 1996. We are hoping that this book
will shed light on the biodiversity data we collect from the Harker’s Run
area.
Websites
1. www.butlercountyohio.org/auditor
(Butler County Auditor website) This will provide information
on the surrounding lands, such as the owner history and any improvements
made to the land.2. www.epa.gov/OWOW/ (EPA
Office of Wetlands and Watersheds website) This will provide the
government’s view on watershed health and integrity, as well as what to
test for in a watershed.3. www.usgs.gov/ (US
Geological Survey website) The USGS will add maps and basic geologic
knowledge of the area (e.g. the types of rocks and soil, as well as information
on watersheds).4. www.amrivers.org/ (American
Rivers website) This website addresses the diversity and characteristics
of typical American rivers.5. cnie.org/NLE/CRSreports/Biodiversity/biodv-6.cfm
(Ecosystems, Biomes, and Watersheds: Definitions and Use by M. Lynne Corn.)
This online report will be used for reference in our project.6. danenet.wicip.org/gisedu/watersheds/
(Watershed definitions and uses) This online report will be used
for reference in our project.
PDF Files (not yet linked due to group miscommunication)
1. “Effects of Human Land Use on Fish Population (The Fishbusters):
Environment Effects on Fish Population in Miami Creeks.” Grace Schneider,
Marta Ralston, Amanda Higley, Kristin Mandish 12/7/01 The title
basically says it all. We’re going to use this study as a reference
for the fish biodiversity of Harker’s Run.2. “A perspective on the abiotic processes sustaining the ecological
integrity of running waters” by Geoffrey E. Petts. Ecological
integrity studies are extremely important to our study of the watershed
and this book, and abiotic processes, especially, are necessary factors.3. “The geomorphological basis for classifying rivers” by Newson, Clark,
Sear, and Brookes. This article will give us more reference for
river classification for Harker’s Run.4. “The development of integrated methods for assessing river conservation
value” by P.J. Boon. More river conservation assessment
methods will be another valued perspective.5. “Biological processes in running waters and their implications for
the assessment of ecological integrity” by Bunn and Davies. This
will be interesting in our assessment of the ecological integrity of our
watershed as it relates to the biological processes occurring in the water.6. “Sustaining Living Rivers” by Karr and Chu. One of our concerns
is that of assessing Miami University’s restoration successes, and this
article is yet another useful resource in methods for sustaining biological
integrity in rivers.
TIME LINE
Mon. 1/21/02: Group meeting
Tues. 1/22/02: Meeting with Hays
Weds. 1/23/02: Group meeting
Thurs. 1/31/02: Group meeting
Week of 2/3/02: Contact Physical Facilities, Contact Miami Archives,
Contact Miami
Police, Obtain topographical and geographical maps from Brill Library,
contact
Paul Daniel and Kim Medley
Week of 2/11: Determine what and where to test, Hopefully complete paper
on time
Each Sunday afternoon: Visit Harker’s Run to collect data/observe and
interact with the
creek
Each Tuesday evening: Group meeting to discuss and analyze data
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