The Branson creek serves as a breeding ground for paramecium, a graveyard for birds, a sunbath for scorpions, a playground for water skimmers and a truck stop for rainbow trout.

In the winter months, as students, faculty and staff drink a plethora of caffeinated beverages to get through the weeks, the Branson creek oscillates between fast running espressos and pools of trickling slow drip coffee.

As the winter winds above blow by and temperatures descend into the high 30s, this Branson winter wonderland continues to thrive with students’ voices emanating from the academic quad, the occasional laugh from the downstairs Richardson offices and the shouts and screams of girls soccer cheering one another on — easily heard from the top of Mount Baldy. 

However, unlike cups of caffeine, the Branson creek runs clear and is home to some of Branson’s most under-the-radar wildlife, including everything from rainbow trout, which can be caught, to parameciums, which can’t be seen with the naked human eye.

While the rest of the campus was busy studying, we, a small group of creek enthusiasts, took the time to investigate a question that has been lingering in our minds for much of the past four years: who lives in the Branson creek? 

While trekking across the creek we quickly noticed all kinds of bugs and water skimmers. As we hobbled across the rocks, falling into the creek more than once, we noticed the wing of a dead bird, a scorpion and, on the right day, even rainbow trout. 

Taking samples of the water from three locations and looking at them under high-powered Zeiss microscopes available in the Tallant Science Center, we found that there existed an entire world completely inaccessible to the human eye: paramecia floating effortlessly, algae cells photosynthesizing and tiny ecosystems to be discovered in every drop. 

The creek reminds us of nature’s ever-changing nature. Though today the creekbed runs by quickly as the water skips over smooth algae-covered stones, in the summer months, the creekbed runs dry, devoid of water and the life it brings with it. 

Next time you find yourself in the Branson creek, take some time to look at the wildlife. If you find anything, let us know! Email [email protected].