Volume 18

Catching Up
Please forgive my lapse in posting updates. I shall try to fill in the gaps, relying on my spotty memory alone. I invite those of you close to this project to remind me if I've left out anything important.

For the last few weeks, Rosie, Joe, Kt and I have been trying to come to terms with the third river in our triad. The Maumee is a little bigger than the Saint Mary's and the Saint Joseph Rivers. Also, her banks are more steep, she has fewer and less well developed access points, and is surprisingly shallow and rocky in spots.

These challenges have stimulated us to activity. One day, we motored downstream from Fort Wayne to Antwerp, recording the depth of the channel every minute, together with the GPS position. These data were entered into a spreadsheet, which will allow us to better plan our trips, given the gage height at New Haven reported on the USGS website.

We are presently investigating the purchase of a portable, self-contained electric winch to save our backs. It will allow us to easily pull our boats up the rather steep paths that pass for boat ramps along most of the Maumee.

Because of our logistical challenges, we have limited our crew to a core of folks recently. However, I anticipate that we will again be inviting guests to come out with us. Watch this website and your email for upcoming opportunities.

Volume 17

Week of 16-20 June Cancelled
The mussel shell hunting adventures planned for 18 and 19 June are now officially cancelled. Watch this website and your email for details about next week.

Volume 16

Plan for the week of 16-20 June

Much rain has fallen in the past few days, thus the rivers are running high. As of 8:00 AM on Monday, 16 June, the USGS Website reported that the discharge rates for our three rivers were:

• Saint Joseph River = 691 cfs
• Saint Mary's River = 626 cfs
• Maumee River = 1420 cfs

Thus, I'm tentatively planning only two days on the river this week:

• Wednesday, 18 Jun, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Saint Mary's River
• Thursday, 19 Jun, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Maumee River

Contact me at wpryor@sf.edu if you want to go.

Volume 15

Plan for the Week of 2 - 6 June
I intend to be on the river on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and to use Johnny Appleseed Park as a base. We will begin at 8:00 AM each day, and finish up between 2:00 and 3:00 PM. Email me at wpryor@sf.edu to reserve your slot on the schedule.

USGS Site Gives Helpful Information
Searching for mussels requires enough water to float your boat, but not so much that the river is over its banks. It's the Goldilocks Principle: not too low, not too high, but just right. While there's no substitute for standing on the shore and assessing the situation, modern technology saves me some gas and driving. Remember all that rain we had the other day? What effect did that have on the Saint Joseph River? Follow this link to see for yourself: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&period=7&site_no=04180500

Volume 14

Imporant Locations for Field Work
Follow the links to directions and maps you'll need to show up in the right place at the right time:

• Boat Ramp across from IPFW (41 7.02'N, 85 6.93'W) on the Saint Joseph River http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=6881009981898006785,41.115677,-85.117145&saddr=2701+Spring+Street,+Ft.+Wayne,+IN&daddr=41.118547,-85.124903+to:41.1156766938,-85.1171450718+(%22ball+park%22)&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1&sll=41.106972,-85.131426&sspn=0.027938,0.050468&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=14
• Boat Ramp off of North River Road (41 5.19'N, 85 2.92'W) on the Maumee River http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=2701+Spring+Street,+Ft.+Wayne,+IN&daddr=41.0867353972,-85.0481138227+(%22Boat+Ramp%22)&ie=UTF8&v=2.2&cv=4.2.0205.5730&hl=en&t=h&z=12
• Johnny Appleseed Park on the Saint Joseph River http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=2701+Spring+Street,+Ft.+Wayne,+IN&daddr=41.1121483136,-85.1195296372+(%22JAP+Campground%22)&ie=UTF8&v=2.2&cv=4.2.0205.5730&hl=en&t=h&z=13

Volume 13

Help Wanted!
I need people to go in the boats on these upcoming dates:

• Thursday, 29 May
• Friday, 30 May
• Tuesday, 3 June
• Wednesday, 4 June
• Thursday, 5 June

We will be meeting at boat ramps at 8:00 AM each day (no overnight camping this go-round), and spending about six hours on the water. Please email me (wpryor@sf.edu) with dates when you'd be able to help, and I'll reply with a confirmation message containing location details.

Volume 12

Clark & Wilson (1912)
In order to give the folks who are helping with this project some of the background material, I have scanned some of the more relevant pages of the "founding document" and posted them on-line. You may follow this link to view them: http://picasaweb.google.com/Quadrula/ClarkAndWilson1912