Distribution of Macroinvertebrate Populations Between Side-by-Side Drainage Basins with One Being a Channelized Judicial Ditch and the Other a More Meandering Stream

The purpose of our research was to determine if there were differences in the number and type of benthic macroinvertebrates (organisms without backbones that live in water and can be seen with the naked eye) in a channelized ditch (Judicial Ditch 1) and relatively undisturbed, meandering stream (headwaters of Rice Creek). The two test watersheds are side-by-side and have similar land use. Sampling locations were less than 1/4 mile from each other. Artificial substrates (Hester-Dendy and Brick-Scrubby) were placed at each sampling site. The substrates were collected after 5 weeks of colonization between June-July 2007. When the artificial substrates were retrieved, macroinvertebrates were collected using the time picked method. We will present the similarities and differences between the type of macroinverterates found at the two locations and the Family Biotic Index calculated for each site. We will also discuss the implication our results on the impacts of channelization (ditch) and meander stream on macroinvertebrate composition