By: Hannah, Natalie, and Brittany

Location  Western Ohio The Stillwater Watershed drains 673 square miles in Western Ohio (including 32 square miles of Indiana).  Counties: Shelby Darke Montgomery Miami

Land Use  80% agriculture  Nutrient enrichment  Ammonia  Metals  Other habitat alterations Impairments

Definitions  IBI-  IBI- Index used to measure the number of species of fish.  DO-  DO- Gaseous chemical (Oxygen) that is important for organisms to survive.  QHEI-  QHEI- Index used to determine habitat quality.

Hypothesis: As QHEI Increases, DO increases. The QHEI affects the DO in three ways: Shade Sediment Riffles Natalie’s Hypothesis Dissolved Oxygen Trees Clarity

How does this represent that my hypothesis is supported by the data? The trend line represents that the better the habitat quality, the better the DO levels The QHEI of Stillwater River includes: The trees The clarity of the river The riffles

Hannah’s Hypothesis  I compared the average IBI to the average QHEI -The better the habitat, the more variety of fish you have -Having a habitat that meets a fish’s need for growth allows the diversity of fish to thrive Stillwater River-This is an example of a great habitat. Meandering Stream Riffles Trees Shade

My hypothesis is supported by the data because: When the QHEI goes, the IBI also goes

As the DO decreases the IBI will also decrease. As the DO decreases the IBI will also decrease.  All living things need oxygen  Fish take in dissolved oxygen from water Stillwater River Riffles

CONCLUSION  Chart & Data supports hypothesis  As the DO levels increase the better the IBI levels

How are Organisms affected by the conditions of the river?  We measured the condition of Stillwater River in three ways: The biological: IBI The physical: QHEI The chemical: DO  We concluded that these three factors build off of each other, as Stillwater’s habitat improved, the DO levels increased and there was more of a diversity of fish

Stillwater Watershed Project ☻ Local citizens, government agencies and organizations teamed up to protect and enhance the habitat. ☻ Raised over 2 million dollars for the Stillwater River for generations to enjoy. Stillwater River before the project

Acknowledgements Thank you to all the teachers and sponsors! Laura, Jenny, Katie Hendrickson, Roberta, Katie Hossler, Paula, Leslie, Shannon and Steve. Especially Luna, who helped be answering our questions and guide us to finishing this project