Lab #2

For this lab we went to the Olcmulgee River by the Heritage Trail to find out a few things about the site. We wanted to see how claim populations compared in different levels of water. We did this by shoveling sand through a sifter and counted how many living claims were left behind in the sifter. We did this at several locations in the river (as can be seen on the map by the numbered thumbnails) and compared the results. We found that at deeper locations that had faster currents such as Clam sites 7 & 8 there are not many or any clams there. This may be due to the clams being swept away by the current or other speculative reasons. We also found a lot of dead clams on the surface of sand bars and really shallow waters. This may be do to the effect of clams being the prey of birds or the clams not being able to withstand the heat of sun, or other speculative reasons.

Olcmulgee River. White shaded areas represent the very shallow parts of the river and the sandbars. The blue shaded area represents an area in the river where is very deep and has a very fast current. The purple line represents the transect path across the river. The numbered thumbnails are the clam locations.

Site of Clam Location	Number of living Clams
1	5
2	2
3	2
4	5
5	9
6	2
7	0
8	0
9	3
10	7
11	9
12	0 (but 20 dead)
13	2

Site of Clam Location

Number of living Clams

1

5

2

2

3

2

4

5

5

9

6

2

7

0

8

0

9

3

10

7

11

9

12

0 (but 20 dead)

13

2

We also wanted to trace the elevation levels from one side of the river to the other. We did this by using two marked poles connected by a string that could easily be moved up and down the poles to the different markers. We would set the poles 10 feet apart and then attempt to make the string be at a 90 degree level with both poles. We would then measure the difference in elevation by the difference of where the string was placed on the markers on the two poles. We would continue to move across the river doing this is in 10 foot increments. 

This lab was really cool for several reasons. One, it was really cool to be so hands on and actually get in the river. It was also cool to actually measure the elevation, I had no idea it could be so simple. It was also cool to see some students ride a log down the river and see Dr. Rood fall into the river (sorry!).

Ocmulgee River Path Through Georgia. 

Picture of the Ocmulgee River in Macon, Ga.

Video of "bigfoot" knocking over a canoe in the Ocmulgee River.