One way to determine the quality of lake, river or creek water is to observe what type of animals live there. The Critter Countdown consists of a scorecard (located at the end of the page) and an identification guide. Go to a body of water and start hunting. You might want to take a net, something to use as a scope, a bucket and a magnifying lens. Use the scorecard to judge the quality of the water. Remember you may not find all the critters listed. When you are done hunting, make sure you return all the critters (unharmed) back to the water.