Fresh Water Soundscape

Cool off by the water.

Rivers and streams are acoustically complex habitats and can be very noisy. The noise is generated from turbulent flow, air bubbles, surface roughness, and sediment transport. Acoustically active freshwater species have evolved to compensate for this. Some fish species escape water's higher frequency auditory masking by using lower frequency spectrums. River dolphins also utilize low-frequency levels in short, broad-band echolocation signals. Alternatively, male water boatmen, an aquatic bug, sing at higher source levels. 

Behind the scenes notes from Kelsey Zeigler: 

There are nuances to recording rivers, streams, and waterfalls. First, I decided what mood I am looking to capture. Do I want to relax a tense audience, or provide something a bit more energetically restorative? Once I've decided, I look for water flows that match those moods. The stronger the flow, the more lively and energetic the sound. The weaker it is, the more calming and meditative it sounds. I usually hunt for interesting gurgles and trickles, then put my microphone right up to the source to isolate the sound. Then, I step back and record all the sound sources at once as a base to work from. When back at home, I layer the sounds together to create dynamic water ambiences.  

References: 

Farina, A., and Stuart, H.G. (2017). Ecoacoustics: The Ecological Role of Sounds. (1st ed.). John Wiley and Sons.