Prepare to get your feet wet - literally - when Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance hosts a creek stomp on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The event will be held at the covered bridge in Memorial Park, Manheim, near the Farm Show complex off East Adele Avenue. It will begin at 6 p.m.

"Watershed specialists from the Lancaster County Conservation District will be leading participants into the Chiques Creek to look for and collect macroinvertebrates," explained Steve Gergely, president of Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance, adding that participants will then gather at the pavilion to discuss what's been collected. "The specialists help to identify the species and discuss what those species mean in terms of relative stream health. For example, some species indicate good water quality, while others are only found in areas of degraded water quality."

Gergely said the alliance has hosted a creek stomp for years at various locations throughout Lancaster County, including Rife Run at Mummau Park in Manheim and the Little Chiques Creek at Little Chiques Park in Mount Joy. "This will be the first year we're hosting the stomp in the Chiques at Memorial Park," he stated. "We're excited to have it here, as the stream corridor was recently rehabilitated. Following the stomp, participants are encouraged to explore the recent floodplain restoration project and check out the walking trails adjacent to the creek."

He noted that the creek stomp offers a unique, hands-on activity for families, but also serves a greater purpose. "We hope that participants will gain a better awareness of the various life forms in our waterways and how these can be used to do an assessment of stream health," he commented. "We also hope that these discoveries will spur an interest into things that can be done to help improve water quality. Based on experiences at our past events, we also know that participants will have a lot of fun getting in the water."

The Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance is a volunteer-run organization with a mission to promote good stewardship of the land within the Chiques Creek Watershed in order to protect and preserve the Chiques Creek for the present community and future generations. Participants attending the creek stomp should dress appropriately, Gergely said. "Materials for the collection will be provided, but please wear clothes and shoes that can get wet, as this is very much a hands-on experience," he shared. "This is an event that is great for kids."