POBR25 Day 13: CTUIR- Walla Walla Hatcheries Tour and Microbiology Day, 6-27-25

 

For the first part of the day, we started with microbiology work. We finished some testing we missed throughout the two weeks we have been here. Personally, I missed like 4 tests since we are being rushed around daily. I tried to get them done but failed to, I don’t like missing out on data and not being able to paint a full accurate picture of the research but that’s science sometimes.

After doing some of our tests we were taken to the Walla Walla Hatchery where the manager Thomas Tallbull showcased a lot of the technical work, they do use higher tech programs and massive interconnected systems that help the fish develop in treated water and stream water. In one portion of the South Fork of the Walla Walla River is a mixture of treated water with the natural stream water where adult fish will hangout. I liked seeing their lamprey and their fish. It is good to see some tribes out here doing well and working hard to get into the nitty gritty protections of the different Treaties signed in 1855. The Umatilla-Cayuse-Nez Perce are doing a lot, and I see the effort put into it in the number of fish returning to their region. I liked hearing about how they address different issues that rise when handling their populations and how the manager does consider the impacts of climate change on the water and in turn the salmon. Very inspiring work in my books since I am in the process of being educated for the sake of protecting the Yakama Nation Treaty Rights as well.

When the tour wrapped up, we got right back to microbiology at the camp which was okay. I had four-gram stains to do and messed up 3 of them so I had to run it back and redo the ones I rushed since I got the order of applications wrong. I felt like crap, but Dr. Schuster let us know the technique of gram staining is more advanced. I haven’t taken any biology courses, so I am learning for the first time here with the class. We got them done through and so did everyone else here on the crew.  

We are finishing the day attempting to identify the types of bacteria that we grew throughout the course of People of the Big River from Bird Creek, Swamp Creek, Klickitat River, Tshimakain Creek, and Crane Prairie Lake. Each site has been different except the Klickitat and the Bird Creek since they are so nearby, I thought the only difference was in size with the Klickitat being much wider and faster than the Bird Creek site. We also input the data onto our excel spreadsheets. I am happy to be finished with this section of topics and will be eagerly waiting for our class to wrap up since I feel fatigued in terms of science in general.

 Gram Positive Cocci bacteria sample

 Complete Gram Stains


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