Watershed Nature Center EarthCache

What is a Watershed?

A watershed is basically an area of land that drains to a water feature such as a river, creek or lake. As the rain falls, the soil will absorb most of the water until it becomes saturated. When the soil can no longer hold the water, it becomes run off and flow towards creeks, rivers and lakes.

Why do we need a Watershed?

The soil, sand and rock found in the ground acts as a filter or sponge for the rain and surface water. Contaminants from roads, oils, pesticides re mixed with the rain water and absorbed into the soil. As the contaminated water filters through the soil, sand and rocks, it purifies the water so that when it reaches the ground water (the underground rivers) it has less contaminates to pollute the rivers and lakes that it flows into.

In urban areas, where there is more concrete and asphalt due to roads and parking lots, water cannot be absorbed into the soil as easily and quickly runs into the sewers and from there into creeks, rivers and lakes which is a major cause of pollution. Urban planners are now beginning to understand the importance a watershed to control the pollution of rivers and lakes near urban areas.

Many watersheds disguise themselves as ponds and small lakes. A healthy watershed will support fish and other wildlife and an abundance of vegetation. A well maintained watershed can provide a peaceful habitat, become a recreational area with boating, hiking, fishing and picnicking or become an educational nature center.

Cahokia Creek/Holiday Shores Lake Watershed

The area north and north east of Edwardsville IL is known as the Cahokia Creek/Holiday Shores Lake watershed. The elevation ranges from 672 feet above sea level to the north to390 feet above sea level at the Mississippi River. Water flows into local creeks that then empty into the Cahokia Creek. Holiday Shores Lake is a man-made dammed lake for the Holiday Shores subdivision. Much of the water from Holiday Shores Lake is run-off from the homes and roads in the subdivision.

http://www.epa.state.il.us/water/tmdl/report/cahokia-holiday/cahokia-holiday-final-tmdl.pdf pg. 29

Watershed Nature Center

The Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville IL is in the lower elevation of the Cahokia Creek/Holiday Shores Lake watershed area along the Cahokia Creek at approximately 430 feet elevation above sea level. Being in the low end of the Cahokia Creek/Holiday Shores Lake watershed, rain water and runoff from Edwardsville and the surrounding communities empty into the creeks of the area and into both the Watershed Nature Center’s ponds and Cahokia Creek.

The Watershed Nature Center started out as a sewage lagoon. In 1991 local activist proposed to turn the abandoned lagoon into a nature preserve. Many members of the community donated time and money to help create the wetlands, tallgrass prairie and hiking trails through the Watershed Nature Center. A grant from the Illinois Department of Conservation helped in the building of the Welcome Center.

The Nature Center consists of two lakes, marsh area, tall grass prairie and wooded forest with a paved and woodchip path surrounding the lakes. The path to the south of the Welcome Center is handicapped accessible. Depending on the time of year, you may see geese, egrets and various other wild life visiting the Nature Center. The Watershed Nature Center is especially important because birds in the midwest are losing their habitat due to farming, construction and other human factors impacting their natural habitat. Re-developing the once abundant prairie lands with native species of plants not only preserve the prairie land, but act as food for birds migrating through the area. As you walk the trails, you will see bird houses that attract certain species of birds. Fish, frogs, insects and other aquatic life thrive in the waters of the Nature Center proving food to other wild life as well as keeping the waters healthy.

The above coordinates will take you to a sign. You can pick up a map at this sign or follow the coordinates below to the locations to answer the questions to log this Earthcache. If you have the time, take a walk around the entire trail and enjoy the peace and beauty of the area.

Parking Coordinates: N38 49.017 W89 58.497

The watershed asks that you observe the following guidelines:

• Day visits only
• Keep dogs on leashes at all times
• No bikes or rollerblades
• Stay on the trails
• Leave plants, wildflowers, mushrooms, animals, and insects undisturbed
• No fishing or swimming
• Place all trash in proper containers

The Watershed Nature Center is open daily from dawn to dusk. Please, no nighttime visits. For availability of the Welcome Center, contact them by email or by telephone at (618) 692-7578.

To Log this Earthcache you must:

1. Get as close to the water as you can. A good location for this is the Marsh Walk. Does this look like a healthy watershed as described above? Why or why not? If it has rained within the past 24 hours, do you see any evidence of run off in the water? If so, what?

2. Select two (2) of the areas listed below and email me the answers to the questions. Do not put your answers in your log or it will get deleted.

3. Take a picture of yourself with your GPSr at one of your two choice locations and post it with your log. Logs without a picture will also get deleted.

Prairie: N38 49.116 W89 58.627
What about a watershed makes a prairie thrive? What type of wildlife do you see in this area (prairie)? Why would this be a good habitat for them?

Observation Deck:N38 49.141 W89 58.772
Look out over the lake. What type of wild life do you see in this area of the lake? Why would this be a good habitat for them?

Forest: N38 48.988 W89 58.858
What type of trees do you see here? What is it about a watershed that would promote the growth of these trees?

Marsh: N38 49.010 W89 58.770
Walk out on the Marsh walk. What type of wild life do you see? Why would this be a good habitat for them?

Sources:
http://www.watershednaturecenter.com/index.php

For more information:
http://www.iowadnr.gov/water/watershed/files/watersheds101.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/why.html