Cass County
Soil Conservation District

District Partners News

Educational Ideas for the Stream Table

• Start by explaining this is a demonstration of erosion in a river system.
• Show and explain Posters of Red River and North Dakota Rivers
• Ask kids to label parts of the river system you have created
• Place label as they name them
• Ask probing questions about each and relate to river they live by with specific land marks they can relate to.
• Remove labels give small quiz (the parts of the River System Diagrams)
• Turn on water (medium speed)
• Let river run its course for a short while
• Point out erosion taking place (Different water depths)
• Ask if they know how to stop that erosion
• Turn off water
• Ask students where they want to build a house, put cows, fences, fields
• Place them in the table
• Ask what conservation measures can be taken to help stop erosion
• Place rocks and vegetation
• Turn on water (slower speed)
• Point out if your conservation measures are working
• New features may be created (sandbars, point bars, or oxbows)
• Note at the bottom erosion may take place without water pressure this is due to Ground Water seepage (Relate to Fargo high water table and bank slumping)
• Discuss changes that occurred- from original channel to one after the water has been running

Options

• If time permits – demonstrate how the Red River would have formed after the glaciers.
• Push sand back up to top of table smooth out like a flat glaciated plain
• Explain how glaciers flattened the land, and how they scrape the land due to rocks etc...
• Turn the water on and watch the river channel form (sometime you will need to help the river form a good channel)
• It is also possible to demonstrate pollution.
• Do this at the very end of demonstration!!
• Add food coloring in one spot for point source pollution or
• Bury an ice cube with food coloring in it to demonstrate nonpoint source pollution.
• Vary Stream Table incline by placing different sized blocks under table
• Vary water flow rate
• Vary water hose location