Post by spacecowboy2006 on Feb 22, 2017 15:44:08 GMT
January 10, 1995. Newspapers this morning telling of fierce storm in the night that flooded Dry Creek and overflowed mud and devistation onto streets in Union City. I took a hike at Dry Creek. The sky was clear and sunny. The high flood marks of the night were evident in widespread silt up to 50 feet beyond the streambanks. Woodpeckers, blue jays, robins, and sparrows were everywhere. A rainbow occured. In town, streets were thick with silt and debris from overflowed Dry Creek. People were shoveling their driveways. The only 'disaster' in my view was that created by Public Works blocking off streets and routing traffic so they could clean the roads which appeared good enough to drive on. As for the flood and mud --- it doesnt bother me, its only nature and natural erosion. The creek is minding and taking care of itself. I had the park all to myself while the town folk had their little "disaster" and the media... a joke.___ April - There are new rills and cascades in the creek that weren't here before. The creekbed has been re-landscaped, a boulder here, a sand bank there. In some places it has completely changed course. The rangers have closed off some trails with signs that say Storm Damaged Trail - No Entry until made safe for public use. Ha! I walk on the earth --- isn't that what parks are for? Humans falably make trails and bridges and nature puts it back to a slope in an instant.______ February 3, 1998. - Three years ago they called it the "hundred year flood." Well, it just happened again last night. The streets were flooded and muddy --- people shoveling, Public Works clearing roads. Dry Creek tore through the steel rail fence and knocked down brick pillars where the main highway crosses. A bridge at Dry Creek Park which had remained washed out for three years was repaired last week --- its gone! To me that is completely hilarious. Saw another ranger who said, "this place is a mess." I saw the creek rise as I was there then about four hours later drop again. Walked to bridge near Toman Peak (area seen here) but could not cross. Here I experienced something I never experienced before though had heard of it. Could hear large rocks moving downstream. Sounded like a combination of thunder, knocking, scraping, grinding, and tumbling. Again silt and debris were widespread and the creek was very high --- higher than in 95. Took no notice of birds, perhaps because it was still raining, and darksome.___ One resident said, "This is not supposed to happen." What?! In the newspaper Public Works declared they had previously cleared debris from Dry Creek. They refer to a small section behind the bridge at Mission Blvd. No way could they clear debris from the entire watershed or do anything to stop trees and branches from falling in the upper canyons.
