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Pinnebog River Sentinels

Bad Axe High School Students Monitor Pinnebog River in Michigan’s Thumb

The Sierra Club Water Sentinels have worked with Steve Varner’s high school biology students and Matt Tucky’s chemistry students to conduct water quality monitoring since fall of 2003, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates as water quality indicators.  The students identify the bugs, and fill in the monitoring forms to find stream health scores for 4 sites on the Pinnebog River in Michigan’s Thumb.  The senior students take the lead at the four monitoring sites, providing guidance and leadership to the younger students.

On April 19, 2008, the weather started out chilly and partly cloudy, but by the time we finished our training and all headed outside, the sun had come out and it warmed up a lot.  I was in charge of an all-girl monitoring team, so we were the Girl Power Team!  (We found the highest number of crayfish, five in all ranging from just over an inch long to over 3 inches.)  The 4 sites were for the most part fairly healthy,and we’ll continue to monitor the river every spring and fall.  Make sure to check back later to see our results.  Contact Rita Jack for more information.