Clayton Craig ’08, Wabash River — After a month of research, planning, and sitting through 9 a.m. meetings we finally made it on the river for an extended period of time. The original plan was to be on the river for eight days, but due to some unfortunate events that time was cut in half. The time we spent on the river was everything I though it would be. As an up and coming biologist, it was wonderful to have the Wabash and its diverse ecosystem right at my finger tips. It was like three hundred miles of classroom stretched out before me.

I spent the first four days taking water samples every three or four miles. I measured the secchi depth, conductivity, O2 concentration, total dissolved solids, water temperature, and salinity. Each of these tests will be compiled in my final paper. To keep myself entertained, I had either Zach or Homer time me every time I took measurements. It was a race against the clock. I eventually got it down to 6 minutes from 15 the first time I took measurements; quite an improvement. In no way did I sacrifice accuracy while improving my time. The tests are quite simple.

We’re headed back out onto the river today and will be there until Friday. A hundred miles and about 33 measurements from now, I will be back in Crawfordsville planning the final leg of our trip down the Wabash River.