Science is only powerful when shared.
The purpose behind our educational material is to make available many of our results in a format that educators, managers, and the general public can use to inform others. We freely invite you to use these results and images requesting only that you acknowledge and credit us as the source. Where available, links to high quality images for posters or presentations are provided. Thanks, and spread the word. – The Herbst Lab
The California Streamside Biosurvey
An introduction to using aquatic invertebrates as water quality indicators
Herbst, D.B., A.Y. Feng, and D.E. Gregorio. 2001. State Water Resources Control Board publication, Sacramento. 21 pp.
A biosurvey is literally a "life-survey", a simple test of stream health that involves collecting and classifying stream life. The biosurvey described here, and the more extensive sampling known as bioassessment, are tools for measuring stream water quality and habitat health based on the types of invertebrate organisms that live on the stream bottom.
CA Streamside Biosurvey [.PDF]
CA Streamside Biosurvey Cover Art (high resolution) [.JPG]
Data entry form (Excell spreadsheet) [.XLS]
For the Eastern Sierra Angler
Just a few sources of information on aquatic ecology to improve your fishing experience
How mineral content of water may limit Mud Snail distribution [.PDF]
Impacts of cattle grazing on trout food resources [.PDF]
Insect communities of local Eastside streams [.PDF]
The Influence of Introduced Trout [.PDF]
A Changing Sierra Hydrograph
What does it mean for Sierra Nevada ecosystems?
High resolution images are available for the following:
Research summary
Changing hydrograph
Habitat compression
For more information on climate change visit:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
David B. Herbst |