Stream Trippin'

Yesterday was finishing up work in watershed 17, back to the dorm for data entry and equipment organization, Indian food, and The Matrix. I have to say, watershed 17 is one of my absolute favorites to work in, the way the sunlight hits the trees, the commanding nature of the pines, the squishy moss and apple green ferns that line the ground...it makes you feel like you're the only person in the world who has ever laid eyes on it. I like that feeling, even if it isn't true.

It was Nitin's last day, so as such he offered up his services as chef for the night to cook us all some authentic egg curry. Being a bit skeptical about any food that contains a spice I've never tried before, I was unsure of what to expect. However, it not only exceeded my expectations, but I might be begging Nitin to cook more often when he returns. From now until mid-June however, it's just me, Joey, and Catherine. Shortly after his departure, his empty bed along with any others, were filled with a sudden influx of newcomers last night. The dorms are now at full capacity and everywhere you go there are new scientists settling into the Coweeta routine; which from what I've observed consists mainly of eating, sleeping, netflix, and reading with the small exception of almost continuous banjo music. I know what you're thinking...banjo in the mountains?...unheard of. Cliche as it sounds, i'm not kidding. As for what I did today, basically this (see video below) only instead of the ground picture a muddy stream with rocks and crawfish and instead of lasers, picture rotten fallen trees, spider webs, and snakes...

If you're not the imaginative type, I spent most of my day trekking through this...

Not exactly an easy task, but I am proud to admit that although I found a total of 5 ticks crawling up my pants throughout the day, not one got to sink its grimy little teeth into my flesh. As to why I had to spend the day crunching through fallen rhododendron, we were measuring the length of the stream within one of the watersheds. So if you ever wondered how someone knows the length of a creek running through some random mountains, that's how. 

And that's about all I have to say about my past two days here, so in parting, I'll leave you with the following picture of a spider I found right outside the dorm. If you know anything about me, you will know of my hatred for these 8-legged beasts, so naturally you can imagine my horror at the existence of this particular species...

Coweeta, aka "The Middle of Nowhere"

I know it's been a while...ok almost 3/4 of a year...but this summer I actually have something worthwhile to blog about besides my relatively uneventful past semester. From now until the end of July, I am a hydrogeologist field intern at Coweeta Hydrologic Lab, located in the small town of Otto, North Carolina. 3 hours from Boone and a whole 5 1/2 hours from my hometown in Raleigh, I'm living far from familiarity this summer. I've been here for a little over a week now and so much has happened I don't even know where to begin. I came into this internship with a pretty sketchy knowledge of hydrogeology, having never taken an official hydro class before. However, I seem to be learning quick. I'm finding it quite impossible not to out in the field. My main research project for the summer consists of isotope sampling (oxygen isotopes more specifically) of storm events on hill slopes. I'm collecting water samples from rain gauges and wells during storm events to better understand water flow during these events down a hill slope into a stream. Our hope is to be storm chasers in a sense that go out during a storm event and collect water from the wells and stream as it rains. Yes, this means running around in the rain like maniacs anywhere from 4-8 hours until the rain stops. It's going to be a loong summer... Most of my days have been spent out in the woods in the watersheds hiking, collecting samples from wells, hiking, taking measurements, and more hiking. Last week was especially long, working 10-12 hour days every day. However on Friday we all took a trip to one of the last (if not the last?) old growth forest in the southeast, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, located about 2 hours away from Coweeta. This week has been just as eventful: I saw my first copperhead, heard my first black bear huffing, have already acquired new bug bites, scrapes, and bruises to replace my ones from last week, and am already sore again 3 days in. Instead of typing out all of the details of my time here in Coweeta thus far, I'll show you my first week and a half...

The dorms where I'm living.

The view from the dorms.

Breakfast and some good ole' mountain morning fog.

A log is blocking the road...what do you do?

The obvious answer, ram into it repeatedly with a Ford.

Meet Baxter!

In an experiment to determine the difference between hydrology in a deciduous and coniferous forest, Coweeta clear cut this watershed and planted nothing but white pines 6in. apart from one another. You feel like you're in another part of the country...it's eerie.

Some fancy hydro technology that I have no idea how to work. Story of my life...

Sometimes I wish I knew my fungi...

Pumping some water from the wells.

Nitin hiding from the rain, i'm sorry drizzle haha.

I have a feeling I'm going to be seeing this pump a lot in the next few months.

The long metal tube (caprod) Joey is holding sits in the wells collecting data.

An old abandoned experiment, Coweeta is filled with these creepy remnants.

A weir, used to measure stream discharge. Depending on the stream size and velocity, there will be different shapes for it to flow through.

Watershed 2 weir as seen from the road.

I can cook afterall!!!!!

Please take note of the 4 foot snake disappering IN the tree. I didn't know they lived inside of trees...great.

Just another day at the office...

The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid killing off eastern North America's hemlocks.

Dilution gauging.

My boss, Ryan.

Those are some big splinters. (At Joyce Kilmer)

An incredibly tall tulip poplar. (At Joyce Kilmer)

Joyce Kilmer.

A boulder caught in the roots of one of the trees, don't see that everyday. (At Joyce Kilmer)

I think Nitin had just called me a tree hugger. (At Joyce Kilmer)

Joyce Kilmer.

Joyce Kilmer.

Joyce Kilmer.

The COOLEST most INTRICATE roots i've ever seen. Tree of Souls much? (At Joyce Kilmer)

A big ass tree, Joey and Nitin for scale. (At Joyce Kilmer)

Chinese graffiti!...on one of the oldest trees in the eastern U.S...typical tourist. (At Joyce Kilmer)

The Pleasing Fungus Beatle, and yes, that is it's real name. (At Joyce Kilmer)

Joyce Kilmer.

I'm getting really tired of seeing snakes...(At Joyce Kilmer)

So now I know snakes can be found on the ground, inside of a tree, and on a tree. Nowhere is safe...(At Joyce Kilmer) ............................So there's my first week and a half at Coweeta. So far, so good.