Cunningham Ditch

Cunningham Ditch. Stream and Habitat Restoration Project. , Background , Cunningham Ditch was the old site for shooting sports at Camp Miakonda. The ditch was piped underground and eventually flowed under a culvert, or tunnel, and into Lake Sawyer. The pipe clogged with soil and debris over time and forced the water back above ground. The ditch started flooding over the concrete pad Boy Scouts would stand on for shooting sports., Ecology , Many insects, fish, and plants live in Cunningham Ditch because of the number of different habitats within the stream. There are a variety of ways fish and other wildlife can find food and shelter here. Certain insects and fish live between the rocks, others bury themselves in the sandy bottom, while some animals hide in the plants and stream bank. Animals like raccoons, deer, and foxes will travel to the stream for water and food as well. Every part of a stream, living or not, plays a part in creating greater biodiversity., A Rocky Stream is a Good Stream , During restoration, Cunningham Ditch was exposed so the water would flow more freely and wildlife could use it again. Because of the slope of the hill, water in the ditch can move quickly after a big rainfall, eroding its banks. To help prevent erosion, rock riffles and pools were built into the streambed. Riffles and pools act like speed bumps on a road, slowing water as it flows downhill, before it enters a run, or a straight and smooth section. Riffles and pools can also be a great place for animals of different sizes to live by providing shelter and space within a stream to hide. Now that Cunningham Ditch flows more freely into Lake Sawyer, it's providing important habitat for many different kinds of plants and animals while not moving too fast., Cunningham Ditch has a misleading name. It's actually a naturally occurring stream. Oak Openings Region streams are often fed by ground water seeping out into the sides of the stream, along with surface water runoff., Think about it... , Below are some animals you can find in Cunningham Ditch. What other animals or plants can you find? , Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle , Bluntnose Minnow , Blue-Spotted Salamander, Terms to know , Biodiversity The variety of life in a habitat or ecosystem. , Habitat Place where plants, animals, and other wildlife live. , Riffles and Pools A riffle is a build-up of stone and/or sediment that slows a stream down as water runs over it. After a riffle the water digs a shallow hole, or pool, where it's slowed down even further. , Runs Smooth, relatively straight sections of a river or stream where water moves faster.