There's a hellgrammite. Hellgrammites also indicate that the stream is healthy. He gets us out of the classroom. We learn stuff and have more fun at it. In a deeper spot in the stream, a group nets a crawdad and everyone rushes to look.
Crawdads are a good sign.
Although this part of the Current River is popular with canoers, its remote location has protected it from much of the industrial and agricultural pollution that plagues other Missouri streams. In a couple of hours, the measurements are taken and the equipment is re packed. They have made six trips to the river and also visited the Sunklands to look at sink holes. Others went to Arkansas to talk about water quality at a fly-fishing convention. The entire class also went to Jefferson City.