By Charles "Chip" Dodd, Shoreline Community College Professor - Geography Visit facultyconference.americanhonors.org

1. Chip Dodd (Geography, Shoreline CC)Chip Dodd (Geography, Shoreline CC)
Emma Agosta (Geology, Shoreline CC)Emma Agosta (Geology, Shoreline CC)
Brian Landau (City of Shoreline SurfaceBrian Landau (City of Shoreline Surface
Water and Environmental Services Program)Water and Environmental Services Program)
FOSTERING SERVICE-LEARNINGFOSTERING SERVICE-LEARNING
WITH COMMUNITY RESEARCH:WITH COMMUNITY RESEARCH:
MONITORING THE FLUVIAL SYSTEMMONITORING THE FLUVIAL SYSTEM
OF BOEING CREEK (SHORELINE,OF BOEING CREEK (SHORELINE,
WA)WA)

2. Boeing Creek Watershed

3. Boeing Creek
Watershed
Open-channel
Piped stream
City Hall
1,840 acres
in Shoreline

5. Study area
Boeing CreekBoeing Creek

7. Boeing CreekBoeing Creek

8. Brief Overview of Boeing Creek Watershed
• 1800 acre watershed (Park ~100 acres)
• Boeing Creek channel 1.5 miles long
• 2 branches, upper channels intermittent flow
• Channel flows through extremely erodible glacial till
and outwash
• Over 70% of watershed developed
• Site of several large flood control projects

9. Boeing Creek Geology
• Geology includes Vashon
till at higher elevations
that overlies glacial
recessional outwash
sands (Esperance Sands)
that overlie transitional
beds (Lawton Clay)
• Study reach is
predominantly in outwash
• Outwash sands provide a
dynamic environment due
to high sediment mobility
and slope instability

10. Boeing Creek
Geology Ravine
Depositional area

11. History of Land Use
1870s Major logging
1904 Boeing estate
1910-15 Highlands water system
1964-70 Development of the Sears Complex &
Shoreline Community College
1970 Major flooding occurs (Hidden Lake fills in)
1971-82 King County Flood Control Projects (Parts I,II)
1988 More flooding
1990 King County flood control projects (Part III)
1996 Hidden Lake Restored
1996-97 Floods & “Al Gore Memorial Sink Hole”
2006 City initiates stormwater projects

12. New Delta from 12/07 flooding event

13. Boeing Creek Watershed as a
Outdoor SCC Classroom
• Long-term vegetation and water quality monitoring
• Champion Tree Project
• Salmon Education Program
• Various Restoration Events (plantings, removal of
invasives)
• Stream Monitoring Projects for Geog 203, Geol& 101
and Geol& 110

14. Participating Courses
• Geology& 101: Introduction the Geology – An introductory survey
course to geology with emphasis on interpretation of Earth’s
materials and internal processes. Lab Science course.
• Geology& 110: Environmental Geology – An introductory-level
geology course exploring the relations between geological processes
and human populations including the impacts of human activities on
the environment . Lab Science course.
• Geography 203: Cartography, Landforms and Landform
Analysis – An introductory course to Geomorphology (surface
processes) with emphasis and map and data interpretation and
human relationships with surface processes. Lab Science course.

15. Boeing Creek Learning Opportunities
• Accessible < 15 minute walk
• Diverse Examples of Geomorphic Processes
– fluvial deposition (deltas, stream bars)
– fluvial erosion (cut banks, terraces)
– fluvial dynamics (channel migration, flooding)
– mass wasting (slumps, slides, creep)
– glacial deposition (hazards)
– human disruption (structures and foot traffic - canine and human)
– human mitigation (slope stability, channel stability)
• Observation over Time
– comparison of sites and effects of extreme weather, human activity (in
watershed and along channel) over many years

16. Goals of the Stream Monitoring Project and
Learning Outcomes
• Establish a set of systematic and long-term observations of erosion,
flooding and slope stability along Boeing Creek in Boeing Creek Park.
• Develop “hands-on and deep learning” on stream flow and slope
dynamics.
• Identify human impact on stream and slope dynamics.
• Expose students to urban stream conservation issues.
• Provide City of Shoreline Surface Water Program with systematic time
series observations and reports for long-term planning and
maintenance. Information collected will be used for watershed
management.
• Provide Shoreline CC with systematic time series observations, for
long-term monitoring of campus impact on Boeing Creek watershed in
compliance with the College Master Plan.

17. Boeing Creek Project Stages
1) Pilot (2009)
- setup project objectives and initial format
- preliminary feedback: recognize limitations and opportunities
- coordinate with City of Shoreline Surface Water and Environmental Services Program to
establish service learning component
2) Establish more consistent and systematic format for data collection
and representation over time and between courses.
3) Integrate prior observations with current projects to understand long
term dynamics of Boeing Creek watershed.
4) This information will be shared annually with City of Shoreline
Surface Water Program and integrated into the stream monitoring
program.

18. Changes During 2010-2016
• Expanded to three courses
• Introduced Channel Cross Section Measurement
• Experience Gained in Monitoring Procedures
• Student Evaluation of Projects

19. Observation sites
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
Site Locations

20. Project Format
• Students work in Groups of 4-6
• Walk down to Boeing Creek Orientation to Creek and
Park (instructor/class/surface water manager)
– Overview of the creek area
– Site delineation and group assignments
– Review observational methods
• Field observations and note-taking (student groups)
• Project Report in written and power point format with
maps, images and measurements (student groups)

21. Data Collection Methods
• image study areas using standardized landscape references

22. N
E
D
C
B
Water source
A
Observation Point:
N 47° 45’ 15.06” W 122° 21’ 46.08
Pink Rock:
47° 45’ 13.92” N 122° 21’ 45.6” W
Control Point A:
47° 45’ 13.74” N, 122° 21’ 44.1” W
Control Point B:
47° 45’ 13.86” N, 122° 21’ 44.76” W
Control Point C:
47° 45’ 14.52” N, 122° 21’ 45.9” W
Control Point D:
47° 45’ 15.12” N, 122° 21’ 46.14” W
Control Point E:
47° 45’ 15.66” N, 122° 21’ 46.32” W Team “Fun Gaiz” W 15

23. Data Collection Methods
• standardized survey of channel cross sections (channel
depth and width)
Team “The Mongooses” W 16

24. Data Collection Methods
• high resolution GPS of thalweg position (longitudinal
profile and channel migration)

25. Ready to
gather data;
mass wasting
in background
marker 1.
Team “Detritivores” W 10

26. Measurements require cooperation
and attention to detail.

27. Measuring height to
stream and azimuth from
marker.
Team “Detritivores” W 10

28. and perseverance. . .
Team “Cross Sections” W 14

30. STREAM DYNAMICS
DATE: 03/12/2012
Team “Solifluction” W 12

31. Team “Zzyxx” W 16

32. Site 1 CKD 2/25/16

33. Site 1 Team “Dimaggio” W 16

34. Site 1 Team “Dimaggio” W 16

35. Cross SectionCross Section
TrunkBank
Bar
Channel
Bank
Length inch
D
e
p
t
h

36. CROSS SECTION (WATER LEVEL
IMPOSED)
DATE 03/12/2012 – 4:15 PM
AFTER 1” (APPROX) PRECIPITATION IN 24 HOURS
WATER LEVEL 03/12/2012 – 4:15 PM
WATER LEVEL

37. Positive Results from Boeing Creek
Stream Monitoring
• Project effective in developing group work skills.
• Project as a “capstone” very effective at integrating concepts from
cartography and geomorphology (fluvial, mass wasting, glacial).
• Expose students to urban stream conservation issues.
• Expose students to institutional and physical processes that
influence place.
• Provide City of Shoreline Surface Water Program with systematic
time series observations and reports for long-term planning and
maintenance.

38. Issues to be Addressed with Boeing Creek
Stream Monitoring
• Consistency in quality of observations.
• Service Learning role dependent of personal and institutional
relationships with City of Shoreline.

39. Boeing Creek Stream Monitoring
Land Use Geology
(Highly Developed) + (glacial deposits)
* Access
= EFFECTIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
(L + G) A = ELO

40. Student Course Evaluations Geog 203
Winter 2011, 2012, 2013
Please rate the effectiveness of the following in enhancing learning:
The textbook Introducing Physical Geography 4.09
Lectures 4.78*
Online Readings 3.48
On-line Discussions 3.07
Labs 4.37
Boeing Creek Service Learning Project 4.62
Overall Rating of the Course 4.35
N = 53

41. Student Course Evaluations Geog 203 Winter 2010
Comments:
“Hands on learning is what I think is most useful.”
“Fun and intense! Found a place to relax and escape.”
“This project felt legitimately useful. It’s always nice to learn for a sake other than
just learning.”
“It was fun getting to put concepts learned in class into practice & I enjoyed being
able to contribute something of value to future classes and the city.”
“Fun and demanding but not enough time.”
“Would like to see 1-2 more class periods down at the creek, observing and learning
in more detail.”

42. E
N
W
S
A
C
B
East
Bank
West
Bank
D
E
F
Remaining
Stairs
Stream Boundaries
Banks
Stream Direction
Human Traffic/trails
Floodplain Boundary
Control Locations
Discussed Rocks
“8” Post
(control marker)
Man Made
Structure
“Ravine”
THE
Location “A” ison theEast bank approx. 8 metersSW of “8” Post Location “B”
ison theWest bank approx. 9 metersNW of thestairsLocation “C” isnext to the
stream Approx. 17 metersW of “8” Post Location “D” ison floodplain Approx.
10 metersNE of location “C” Location “E” isin stream approx. 16 metersNNE
of location “A” Location “F” ison slumping slopeapprox. 26 meter SE of
location “E” Location “G’ ison remaining stairsapprox. 9 metersW of location
“B”
Control Marker

43. Geography205Spring2008
Shot at location A, facing WSW on 5-20-08 at 12:45 after light precipitation.
Obvious mass wasting processes.Shot at location A, facing WSW on 5-20-08 at 12:45 after light precipitation.
Obvious mass wasting processes.

44. Geography205Spring2008
Shot at location A, facing WSW on 5-20-08 at 12:45 after light precipitation.
Obvious mass wasting processes.Shot at location A, facing WSW on 5-20-08 at 12:45 after light precipitation.
Obvious mass wasting processes.