• Photo of the vast drapery formations inside Oregon Caves National Monument.

    Oregon Caves

    National Monument Oregon

Watershed Data

The following are data collected by 6th-8th grade students that participated in the Watersheds: Through the Mountain and to the Valley education program hosted by Oregon Caves NM and Siskiyou Field Institute during spring 2010. Keep checking back for updates!

Average pH and Temperature Data recorded during Field Trips to OCNM, Spring 2010

Date:

April 20

April 26

April 27

April 29

April 30

May 6

May 7

 May 13 May 17 June 1 June 7

School:

Azalea Middle School

Azalea Middle School

Azalea Middle School

South Middle School

South Middle School

South Middle School

South Middle School

 Madrone Elem. Shady Cove Middle School Rogue River Elem. Sacred Heart School

pH of the Formation Drippings

NA

7.4

NA

7.5

7.7

8.2

7.6

7.4

 7.4 7.4 8.0

pH of the River Styx (Inside the Cave)

7.6

7.7

7.6

7.6

7.7

7.9

7.6

 7.8 7.9 7.7 7.6

pH of Precipitation

NA

6.1

NA

6.3

6.5

6.5

6.8

 NA 6.8 6.5 6.6

pH of Cave Creek (In the Forest)

7.0

7.8

8.2

8.0

7.7

7.7

7.8

 7.4 8.0 7.6 7.8

Water Temperature (C) of River Styx

6.3

6.0

4.3

5.5

5.5

5.4

5.8

 6.0 5.5 6.0 5.0

Water Temperature (C) of Cave Creek

6.0

5.5

4.0

2.0

6.0

5.9

6.0

 7.0 6.0 6.5 5.0

Air Temperature (C) of the Forest

NA

14

NA

4.4

4.5

6.7

8.5

 13.0 10.0 9.0 12.0

Air Temperature (C) of Cave Air: Watson's Grotto

3.7

6.0

4.5

3.4

2.3

2.6

3.5

 15.0 6.0 5.5 5.0

Air Temperature (C) of Cave Air: Imagination Room

4.8

5.0

5.8

5.6

3.0

4.0

4.0

 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.0



 

 

Average pH, Temperature, and Macro-invertebrates Data recorded during Field Trips to DCC, Spring 2010

Date April 29 April 30 May 6 May 7 May 13
School South Middle School South Middle School South Middle School South Middle School Rogue River Elem.
ph of Deer Creek 7.1 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.2
pH of Squaw Creek* 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.8 7.8
Water Temperature (C) of Deer Creek 8.6 9.0 8.8 10.4 11.2
Water Temperature (C) of Squaw Creek* 8.7 8.4 7.8 9.6 9.4
Average Number of Different Species of Macro-invertebrates 6.2 4.6 4.9 6.1 4.9

*Squaw Creek is in the process of being renamed.

Did You Know?

Waterfall and pool near the entrance to Oregon Caves.

The stream that comes out of the entrance of the cave is a tributary to a watershed that empties into the Pacific Ocean. There are no human-made obstructions that would prevent salmon migration, which makes this the only cave in the National Park Service with an unobstructed link to the ocean.