Lab 2 - Ocmulgee River

River Flow -

To measure the rate of flow of a river (how fast it flows), one must simply allow an object to float a predetermined distance and measure how long it takes for the object to travel said distance. In our case, we used an empty soda bottle that floated well and took around three minutes to travel to our endpoint. This simple act is useful in determining how strong the river's flow is, which can help determine if there is anything hazardous potentially blocking the river's flow upstream. 

River Transect -

This task was performed with two poles tied together with a long string. The poles would be placed apart from one another until the string was taut. A hanging level would then insure that the line was even between the two poles. The string would line up with a mark on each of the poles, and the difference between the two marks the difference in elevation. This is an extremely useful tool in measuring depth which can be very helpful in times of drought when water levels need to be measured.

Clam Gathering -

To gather clams, you must simply scoop up sand with a shovel, pour the sand into a filter, and run water through it. While you can continue filtering to find finer items, the larger clams will stand out at the beginning. This is useful in determining where clams can be found and why they habituate those areas. We found that clams liked moist areas and would most likely be found in sand under the water. Areas that were above the water, but still moist, were also home to several clams. Areas that were dry were void of clams.

Lab 1 - Maps

Choropleth Map -

A choropleth map is a map where areas are shaded based on a statistical proportion. It is used to compare a variable in different areas, such as rates of child suicides in various Minnesota counties, as outlined in the chart above.

Dot Density -

A dot density map uses dots, scattered across an area to represent a phenomenon. It can be used to display a high number of people, objects, or anything else that may be measured, such as shown above, with each dot representing ten people. The specific location of each dot is not important, but rather the area it covers. And speaking of density...

Proportional Symbol -

A proportional symbol map shows aspects of a physical, social, economic, etc. nature, where each symbol is proportionately bigger or smaller to easily see the differences between the areas shown on the map, as seen above, comparing counties with larger and smaller populations of people older than 65 in Buffalo, NY.

Topographical -

A topographical map illustrates differences in sea level, indicating steepness using the proximity of the lines to one another. This map is excellent for producing a more accurate idea of the lay of the land of an area as it does account for how high above sea level some areas may be.

Hurricane Isaac -