Do this activity in the class room. DEC AWW staff have information on how to determine latitude and longitude if you need help. Artificial banks means have either of the banks been reenforced, cleared, dredged, or planted. Naturally vegetated banks means are the plants along the banks and in the stream wild growing and natural. Have humans moved them into the stream.
Natural cover means what type of natural hiding places for fish exist in the stream.
The riparian area is the area near your stream which can flood and from which leaves and other organic debris can wash into the stream. In some places, the riparian area may be just a few yards wide, in others, it may be hundreds of feet across. A good way to store this type of information is to take photographs of the area around your stream from your site. Streamside vegetation is the vegetation on the banks and in the riparian corridor. Deciduous trees loose their leaves each year.