headwaters

This project is a comprehensive survey of stream health and is an ongoing project of Lake SWCD. Since a river's conditions are dependent on the waters that flow into it, HHEI focuses on the upper reaches and sources of the larger watersheds. The information collected includes physical and chemical characteristics as well as a survey for biological activity. Physical characteristics include composition of the stream bed, and canopy cover, among other things. Some of the chemical measures are oxygen and pH or acidity. After a site visit, the data is entered into a computer database and can be used to create geographic information system (GIS) maps showing stream conditions. This web page has been created for Lake County residents to have access to the information Lake SWCD has collected. Why HHEI? The EPA created a series of criteria to evaluate rivers and streams. This system is known as QHEI and the evaluations are often done to get an idea of the quality of a stream. QHEI is based on the availability of fish habitat, so many smaller stream ranked quite low. Even an undisturbed creek in an intact forest would not be classified as quality habitat under QHEI, simply because fish do not live in small creeks. HHEI is being developed to give people in the field a more appropriate set of criteria for judging small streams, based on the availability of amphibian habitat.