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 The falls at the headwaters of Salmon Creek. In all four creeks/streams, the pH was within a tolerable range for spawning. The headwaters of Salmon Creek had 6.85 for its pH. Lower Salmon Creek's pH was 7.38. Cedar Creek was 7.06. The lowest pH was Pumice Plane, with 6.27; this was slightly less than normal, which could be due to the acidic nature of the volcanic surroundings. The pH can fluctuate greatly because it is dependent on the amount of dissolved CO2 in the water. The bank of Salmon Creek's headwaters was covered with alder trees, blackberry bushes, horsetails, grass, and soft mud. Lower Salmon Creek had alder trees and blackberry bushes hidden in the grass, and the bank was muddy. At the stream in Pumice Plane, the bank had thick moss, and there were white willows, lupines, and other plants along both sides of the bank. Cedar Creek's bank had large boulders, alder trees, ferns, and other plants that covered the water in shade. The bank needs to be in good condition, because if it's not, mud and other debris will wash into the creek and pollute it. At all the creeks I visited, I noticed that the banks had a diverse amount of plants. Previous analysis has shown that a diversity of plants along a creek's bank is essential. An excellent creek bed is composed of gravel, pebbles, and sand so the female salmon can build her redd and lay her eggs; a good stream bed ensures returning salmon runs. The creek should have slow-moving water so the eggs don't float away, and shade from the surrounding trees and bushes. The headwaters of Salmon Creek, Cedar Creek, and the Pumice Plane all provide an excellent creekbed, but lower Salmon Creek has a muddy creekbed that is not suitable for salmon to lay their eggs in. |
 At the edge of Cedar Creek, boulders form pools which are home to black water skippers, periwinkles, and mayfly larvae. From the information I collected, I was able to tell which creek was best suited for the needs of salmon and which creek was not able to supply the salmon with its needed habitat. I concluded that the headwaters of Salmon Creek are a good place for salmon to spawn because the low conductivity of the water indicates that it is not very polluted. The pH is within the standard spawning range, of 6.5 to 8.0, and the creekbed supplies gravel, pebbles, and sand for redds. The bank has a diversity of plants that provide shade. pH in the Creeks 
The lower part of Salmon Creek is the worst place for salmon to spawn because the conductivity is high (187 µsi). Also, lower Salmon Creek passes through farmlands, and livestock deposit feces into the creek, causing bacteria to grow. As salmon move upstream to the headwaters to spawn, they encounter the polluted area of Salmon Creek in Hazel Dell, which may prevent the fish from completing their trip to the headwaters. |
