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Creek in suburban Collin County, Texas, USA
United States, Texas, Plano
Plano, Texas resides in the Blackland Prarie; an ecosystem well known for its diversity. Most recognizable habitats in this area vary from dense grasslands to plains. Although naturally occurring aquatic habitats are uncommon, the construction of urban drainage systems have aided in the growth of pre-existing creeks. The main groups of fish present are Lepomis sp, Cyprinella sp, and Fundulus sp.
Riparian grasses and shrubs surround almost all bodies of water. The prevalence of limestone as a base rock of Texas has led to waters being rich in minerals and due to being soft, as it is very easily eroded. Threats to these habitats include said erosion; however the main threat is urbanization, as both trash and chemicals are likely to enter these waters.
- Submitted by
- Turner Lawrence
- Approved by
- Fritz Rohde & Lawrence Kent
- GPS
- 33.0268402, -96.6776352
- Geographical region
- Northern America
- Drainage Basin
- River catchment
- Water body type
- Creek
- Water body name
- Willow Creek
- Water body part
- Meander
- Water body course
- Middle course
- Water body: tributary of
- Creek
- Tributary name
Videos above and below water
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Water Chemistry
Water information
- Water type
- fresh-water
- Water color
- Clear water
- Water transparency
- High
- Concentration of sediments
- Medium
- Water temperature
- 73 °C
- Water flow/curent
- Slow
Chemical parameters
- pH
- 7.9
- Conductivity
- 580
- GH
- 215 mg/l
- dGH
- KH
- 197 mg/l
- dKH
- Dissolved Oxygen
Substrate in nature
- Sand
- White
- Pebble/Gravel
- White
- Stone
- Beige
- Stone form
- Irregular
- Silt/Mud
- Beige
- Leaves
- Few
- Driftwood
- Few
- Submerged terrestrial vegetation
- Yes
Aquatic Biotope
- Date of collecting
- May, 23rd, 2022
- Collecting area
- Shore line
- Water depth
- 0,2m
- Air temperature
- 31.7 °C
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
Environment
- Environment
- Affected by human activity
- Affected by human activity
- Pollution
- Pollution
- Moderate
- Surrounding area
Neighborhood area, the creek is surrounded by a canyon made from limestone erosion. Oh top of the canyon (it is anywhere from 5 meters high, to 2 meters high), there are trees that shade many parts of the creek. In less shaded areas there are a lot of terrestrial shrubs lining the waterline.
- Underwater landscape
No aquatic vegetation, and very clear water. A majority of areas are slow-moving, unless directly under a riffle. Along shallow parts of the shorelines roots and tree branches poke into the water while in deep areas there are mainly solidified structures of limestone, making formations that can resemble overhangs or canyons.
Fishes:
- Cyprinella lutrensis (Cyprinidae) – hundreds
- Fundulus zebrinus (Fundulidae) – hundreds
- Notropis texanus (Cyprinidae) – less prevalent than Cyprinella lutrensis
- Etheostoma spectabile (Percidae) – very few
Amphibians:
- Incilius valliceps (Bufonidae) – tadpoles are common
Wetland plants:
- Solidago canadensis (Asteraceae)
- Bromus catharticus (Poaceae)
- Toxicodendron vernix (Anacardiaceae)
- Cyperus eragrostis (Cyperaceae)
- Tripsacum dactyloides (Poaceae)
- Carex blanda (Cyperaceae)
- Threats to ecology
Due to the area being in a highly urbanized area, and being fed by drainage water in neighborhoods, heavy rains can bring in a lot of pollution, from trash to pesticides or fertilizers. After heavy rain, this issue is obvious as you can see piles of trash in areas where runoff was high.
Another less prevent issue is the canyon sides of houses eroding, leading piles of dirt, concrete structures, fences, or other materials to fall into the creeks perimeter.
Riparian zone
- Trees near the aquatic habitat
-
Many - Quercus virginiana (Fagaceae)
