River Fellows summer experience- day 4 (by Kay H. and Wendy R.)

Hi , it’s Kay and Wendy here from The Tucker River Fellows to tell you guys about our Day 4 experience. First, we all met at 8:45. Then, we got on the bus and headed to tour the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute propagation facility. When we got there, our tour was led by Kathlina Alford, and Dr.Bernie Kuhajda, they were fantastic tour guides. They taught us about how the weaker fish had to be separated from the other fish so that they have a better chance of survival. We also learned about the different species of fish, the difference between the fish, and how they keep up with the fish after they’re released into the Tennessee river.

       Then, we drove out to Catoosa county in Graysville, Georgia and got into the South Chickamauga creek with Dr.Bernie Kuhajda and Dr. Anna George. 

We caught a bunch of different species of fish like log perch, darters, sculpin, chubs, bass,  minnows. We also caught some hog suckers. 

Daphne and Anna actually kissed the hog suckers for good luck ( Lol). 

It was so much fun and we learned a lot about the fish that lived in South Chickamauga creek. We also learned about mussels, crayfish and some extinct species of fish. 

     Later on that day, we were going to tour a wetland in construction, but instead, Scientist Kristy Smedley taught us all about it. We didn’t actually tour because it was raining. The wetland is being constructed to help collect storm water and because part of a wetland it is being impacted by the building Amazon and Volkswagen in Enterprise South off of Bonny Oaks Drive. They build 5 acres of wetland for every 1 acre of natural wetland that is impacted by development. The project will create 25 acres of wetland.