Then the students joined forces with Bobbie Haver of the Arana Gulch Watershed Association. The creek was full of sediment before the kids got to work. Haver and the students worked hard to clean up Arana Creek. They picked up trash and removed weeds. They planted trees and grasses that help hold the soil together so that the dirt near the creek doesn't erode, or wear away.
Erosion fills the creek with loose dirt.
If this dirt gets to the bay, it smothers the fish eggs. Once the students had helped control the erosion, they wanted to be certain the steelhead could make it safely to the bay. The class rerouted the water so that it would be easier for the fish to get through. This spring the students will test the water quality for temperature and sediment levels to be sure conditions are right for the trout.