Where the Riffle Meets the Run

The anatomy of a stream is one of form and function. In my biology and environmental science courses, I teach my students what I feel is a pillar of the content: structure equals function. The stream is a great example of that. As the water flows from the headwaters to the mouth, it changes not only its role in the stream or the land around it, but the stream itself. The main parts of a stream are the riffles, runs, glides, and pools. Each serving an important function for the stream and for the life in the stream. This past week I had the pleasure to spend a few days with our church's high school youth in the Washington National Forest hiking and camping at the Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp and Retreat Center. We learned of the Big Pool Spring that fed the creek that ran through the camp. As we were hiking, I was, in true teacher fashion, pointing out the parts of a creek. As I said, "that is were the riffle meets the run" one of our youth said, that should be your book title. Well, this is not exactly a book, but it will do for now. 

A stream, in my humble opinion, is one of the natural worlds most amazing ecosystems. The interplay of the water, rocks and sediment, flora and fauna create such wonders. From the micro to the macro scale, the stream can tell the story of the not only the health of the water and the land around it, but of the history. From the paleo peoples that gathered at the headwater spring of the stream that we hiked to the colonial era of an iron furnace, to the present day campers -- the stream tells a story of life, of struggle, of change, of perserverence, and of a constant source of life. John 7:38 says, "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." and Isaiah 48:13 "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea." The river or in this case, the stream, brings not only the literal living water, but the peace that comes from walking or sitting by it -- the sound of the water flowing, the pull of the current, and the refreshing feel of the cool water -- it calms and centers me like nothing else can.

Back to the anatomy of the stream. The stream starts at a spring. The
water flows from the ground -- pure and cool. This water has been filtered by layers of rock and sediment. It is the freshest water possible in nature. Water from a spring bubbles up at a constant 52 F. Perfect for the life that lives in it. As it begins to flow, it will encounter three different regions of the stream. The first is the riffle -- here the water flows over the rocks creating oxygen rich water. The colder the water the more oxygen it holds. That cool spring water is full of oxygen at this point in the river which means it is full of life. The water bubbles and swirls like mini rapids as it flows over the rocks and stones. From there, the water enters the run. This is the fast moving water in the stream. Steady and flowing. Moving and mixing. Teaming with life. As it bends, the flow slows down into the glide. This is the slower, meandering water of the stream. Here young life lives in the water of the stream. And finally, you may find a pool. This is an area of stationary water in the stream. The water is replenished as the stream flows by it. 

In all of these parts, life is present. Different organisms adapted to that part of the stream working together as a ecosystem that has sustained life on Earth from millennia. Changing, flowing, and adapting. The stream, likes it bigger counterpart the river, holds the mystery of our past and the future. The health of the water and the land around it tell the story of what has been and what will be. The water flows and weathers the banks around it. As that land breaks down, it is eroded by the water and moved to new locations. Depositing sediment and nutrients in new areas and changing the "face" of the stream in the process. We like the stream are weathered, eroded, and deposited in many ways by the forces around us. Sometimes for the better and other times, not. Teacher side note: weathering is the breaking down, erosion is the movement of, deposition is the dropping off of rock and sediment -- many people mix up weathering and erosion or use them interchangeably.

As I look back at the school year that has passed, I have been weathered and eroded by the students I have taught, the colleagues I have worked with, the people I have encountered and the circumstances that I have faced. For the most part, as they say in Wicked, "I have been changed for the better". I have grown, adapted, and overcome. I have also been "deposited" in new roles and places. I have learned to be a better leader, to let the data tell the story, and to move the narrative where it needs to go. I have learned to ride the current at times, though my stubborn streak has caused me to try to swim upstream. All in all, like the river, my faith has brought me through with peace and the life-giving grace. It has given me hope in the hard times and thankfulness in the good. There is a lot more that I could say about the river, but for now, we will leave it at that. More to come on where the riffle meets the run...