Scott Park Field Investigation: Part 2

Scott Park, Champaign, IL

As a part of the WaterWorks class, students are required to work on a term project that benefits the community in some way. The class was broken into three groups and students were given a topic to use as a guide for their work. The class as a whole decided to work to improve Boneyard Creek and in particular the reach of the creek though Scott Park in Champaign, IL. This section of the creek is one of the last relatively "natural" reaches in the area and yet it is endangered by the urbanization of Champaign-Urbana.

The topics chosen by the students to work on included a study of the the litter in the creek with hopes of linking the litter to a source, a study of the water quality in the creek and comparison with the same creek outside of town, and a study of how to improve water quality and control erosion in Scott Park while maintaining the natural appearance of the creek and not limiting access to the public. To complete their projects, students are working with teachers, civil engineers, city planners, waste management experts, and other professionals.

The second trip pictured below focused on gathering field data such as an inventory of the litter in the park and in the creek, measurments and mapping of the channel geometry and erosion, and measurements of water quality.

UMS WaterWorks students gather data for their projects.

Measuring channel geometry to understand erosion.

Measuring channel depths and water quality.

(Left) Our first sign of wildlife in the creek. (Right) Teetering on the bank, a statue will soon fall if erosion is not controlled.

Sharing observations and reviewing the day's activities.