People of the Big River 2025

  Woke up from being exhausted from day twelve. I helped prepare breakfast and packed my lunch afterwards. I then got prepared for the day, put my lab coat on, and moved to where we all started preparing our science table. I did my oxidase test and citrate test. Then seen I tested positive on the oxidase test, it turned purple. We all loaded into the vehicles to go down the road to the Walla Walla Fish Hatchery. We got a tour from Thomas Tallbull, we started off with the introductions. We went outside to the adult chinooks they had. We went to look where they collect the water from the stream that they bring in the facility for the fish and explained how they help filter out the sediment and diseases from fish. We went into the building that does it all and it was so neat to see how up to date and how technical it was. They have a self cleaning system, so they don’t have to clean it our themselves. We then walked down to the stream little below where they collect water, he then sho...

Woke up slowly, it was quite hard because I was so comfortable…slept so good, it was so hard to fully wake up and get ready. I was so slow, but made our way down the road, Mission Oregon. We stopped off at the Nursery with Gail Redbird. We got a tour of the whole nursery that could help the Umatilla river thrive more. When it comes to restoring salmon and the vegetation. After the tour, we got to start trimming the tops of a willow, so they can grow the population of Willows. We then put the plants we trimmed into another area, so they can thrive and grow more on their own so they can really soak up the sun. We then went to the Agency in Mission Oregon, then we got a Powerpoint from Andrew Wildbill. Discussing the importance of Utilizing all programs to help aim for the same goal. Talked about shutting down the commercial huckleberry pickers. He also brought up about their first foods ceremony at their longhouse in Mission. They celebrate their first food like us Yakama’s and discussed...

I woke up early and instantly took down my tent and loaded up my clothes and bags on the vehicle. Went over to eat some breakfast, then got dishes ready to do. Afterwards, we all loaded up to make our little big journey to Umatilla. I got on and fell asleep until we go to the big obsidian flow in Newberry State Park. I walked up with my classmates and got to observe all different stages. It was nice and warm out as well. We went back down after an hour of walking up and when we got back to the bottom, my classmate left his phone up at the top. So I was feeling nervous for him but he ended up finding it and we headed back to the bottom to make our way back to Redmond and Madras. Then stopped in Redmond at a gas station and I got my cold Dr Pepper and snacks. We continued on and stopped off at a rest stop in madras and ate lunch. We loaded back up and I fell asleep, woke up we were in Biggs, OR already. It felt like home away from home, I enjoyed going along the river, missing it every t...

 Lizdey Day- District manager for the Deshutes national forest.  Alex Enna- Project Manager for various programs. - Masters in Forestry at Colorado State University.  Chirstine Meier - Associates degree in Forestry student - Resource Management. Botany. Woke up at six AM, was on the breakfast crew, and prepared my lunch for the day. We had about a two  drive to our destination and went into their Wildlife office, used the restrooms, and got some water.  We  did introductions and had a discussion about their presentation of Lower Black Butte Swamp restoration,  located on west side of Sisters, Oregon. There is native mussels - Western Pearl Shells located there and  Red Band Trout (RBT). They have a relationship that grow off of each other and thrive. "Glochidia" -  Baby mussels. There is a lot of different species in the ecosystem, when it comes to Elk, birds, Mule  Deer,  and other species you can imagine in the forest mountain are...

  I woke up slowly but surely this morning, it was so hard to get up and out of the sleeping bag. However I slept really good and warm throughout the night, I fell asleep the night before pretty early to have enough rest for today. I rushed to make breakfast and lunch. I was part of clean up crew so I hurried and finished that so we can make our way on the two hour drive to the destination. We met up with Marlo Fisher, she is a botnist for fifteen years, but overall goal was to learn more about the habitat and ecosystem. It was a dry desert like area that had no coverage but some trees around, and cattle grazing through. Our ideal goal was to survey and be systematic with the quota of “Botrychium pumicola” also known as Pumice Moonwort, but to flag every single one we see in the field. Which is a rare fern. We walked the area/grid space that Marlo had planned for us and about got 700plus found in that general area. I was along Liz majority of the time and had fun talking while sear...

  Woke up the first night here at Craine Prairie super warm, being scared I would freeze from the rain and being in the mountains. the travel day we got to see snow so I was anxious id freeze. I was laying in bed when breakfast crew got up to cook, but got up and was so happy i got to eat a big breakfast. potatoes eggs and bacon. Afterwards finally got to get laundry done to have clean clothes for this week. Our chore this morning was wash the dishes and after got ready to plate our bacteria to put under a microscope and it was fun doing it with my fellow classmates and Corbin. I have gotten close with everyone from camp and i’ve been thankful gaining memories. We tested positive or negative for the Oxidase and Kovac test. I had gotten Positive dark blue/purple on the Oxidase test. Then also gotten positive red/pink strip on Kovacs test. It was nice to get in the lab coats, gloves, and protective glasses. Along with my classmates and partnering up with them to do our tests and to l...

  Woke up early and really warm knowing we’re going to hit the road. i was overwhelmed because i didn’t plan out clothes to last but luckily we get a wash day Sunday. We got ready to go and on the road at 8 am, which was on time. I was happy to sit comfortably and knowing we completed everything we needed the previous day. I was listening to music most the way and slept for a few minutes and did some karaoke for our driver…and everyone in the car. but got to stop and get some snacks and sugar. hit the road and hit a rest stop in Irrigon, ate our lunches and got back to the road. About an hour left till we got ti Biggs and stopped. got some ice needed, gas, and more snacks. We stopped at another rest stop feeling restless but knowing we were almost to Madras. Happy got to stop at Safeway to get some Moisturizer for my face, i have gotten super sunburnt from the day at swamp creek. I felt super relieved. I now know to be prepared to wear sunscreen from now on but grabbed extra grocer...

Woke up freezing cold but started the day off great. I woke up happy and eager to pack up for Bend Or. I was excited to have a discussion and lecture from both Corbin and Jessica. I had to think hard of what body of water we’d choose to drink from. I said bird creek looking at the clearness and coldness of the water and the stream being up in the mountains as well. I chuckled hearing Corbin say Swamp creek because it comes from the Mt Adams Mountain. which I had anticipated would be better because of that as well, but turned out when we inoculated our water samples from Bird Creek…The overall data showed that it was pretty good to drink rather then Swamp Creek. But was a good discussion to decide what our Hypothesis would be. I had one of the big main questions as well if the cows had an impact on water quality? my job is along a stream at Rockcreek and discuss a lot about how Cattle are one of our biggest problems when it comes to the water quality, vegetation, and everything they do ...

Slept okay, woke up freezing cold. I had forgotten to go all the way in my sleeping bad, then zip it up. I woke up around 4:23 am cold, fully putting myself all the way in the sleeping bag. Ate breakfast wide awake knowing i slept good other than the damp cold morning and not being fully covered. We had food packed and breakfast ate all in time before Jordyn Matherly and Josh Kieffer came to escort us. we had gotten to tsmikakin creek, our goal was to see how far the sediment was to where we were standing from the stream. it was interesting to learn how their preference is on describing upper lower and or which side is which. I enjoyed watching my classmates go into the stream holding the measuring stick to help dictate the depths. Then we came back to camp for a rest stop quickly before the next stop, knowing there isn’t any restrooms. then went to the sight where we electroshocked. I enjoy electro-fishing because netting them is one of my favorites. I did that a lot and continuing to...

  Went to bed little later telling stories with Kyal and James and about life things going on. It was nice, especially knowing we’re going to bed for the travel day the next morning. slept really good, it was so comfortable that it was hard to wake up. however, knowing we’re traveling to Wellpinit was rather exciting. Ate some cereal to wake me up and cold fresh water. still had a hard time waking up. packed everything up pretty quickly, besides the air mattress. it’s exhausting trying to get all the air out. thankfully I had Roman to help me. we hit the road, passing through Goldendale..my hometown. Made a stop at campus to unload first, then made our way to dry falls. it was amazing to see what the glaciers/floods did to create bowl like canyons. then another stretch, but stopped to get some groceries at a little store that had everything we needed. final stretch up to wellpinit. made it to the Wellpinit Spokane Tribe Of Indians powwow grounds, set up camp, and instantly started ...

  day three   Woke up at 6am, got ready, and ate some breakfast. cleaned up and got ready, everyone was ready to go before the set time, 8am. stopped for ice at the store and came to wait at the end of the mt adams road before heading to swamp creek. it’s very nice clear sunny day, the road has dirt flying up while we try to keep up with David Lindley, Jeanette Burkhardt, and Gerard Foley.   John Washines is a Fisheries tech 4  at fisheries for the Rockcreek project and STHP. Has been working for 12 years. Doug Olney is an enrolled Yakama Tribal member - retired - natural resources.   Patrick Hayden started with a degree with fine arts but went back back and got a natural resources degree   David Lindley - 17 yrs worked for Fisheries. Worked at forest resources - then had gotten a masters in natural resources.   Jeanette - She's a watershed planner - worked for 20 yrs with the tribe - language major.  Gerard - marine bio - bio - has a graduate deg...

 Day 2: Slept pretty good, I woke up easily. The first night I kept warm and cozy. I was a little nervous thinking I was going to be super cold but it was just right. We woke up, ate breakfast, and cleaned up. Packed our school stuff and shower stuff. hiked back towards king mountain area, looked at the different trees which was douglas/red fir and pine. then went to do our water samples. Got to do the dissolved oxygen, water temperature, PH, and depths. Now came to get wifi, shower up, and hopefully get things I had forgotten. 

I packed last minute, wasn't sure what I was forgetting. I knew I would find out once we got to camp to set up camp and when I would unpack. I found out I had forgotten a lot of the things I planned on bringing. Day one came around and got to campus around 9 am, then we all had to introduce ourselves that was doing People of the Big River. Me and my 6 classmates had got lecture from Corbin on micro biology. Discussing that there is good and bad bacteria. packed up everything and made our way to glenwood. Set everything up at camp ate dinner and cleaned up. Me and my two friends sat at the fire for awhile before going to lay down.