Lost Creek - Part 4

“Serious problems cannot be dealt with at the level of thinking that created them.”  Albert Einstein

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On July 12, 2004 I went back to the Santa Fe Elementary School and walked Lost Creek.  I took a lot of pictures and inadvertently collected even more “beggar lice”.  I was able to get access to the roof of the school’s new gymnasium, so I took some pictures of the project from there as well.  The project is looking very good as can be seen in the following photos. 

First cross-vane and willow, (July, 2004).

Second cross-vane and cotton wood

 (July, 2004).

Upstream reach (Bc), looking downstream

 (July, 2004).

Upstream reach (Bc), looking upstream

 (July, 2004).

Transition reach, looking downstream

 (July, 2004).

Pedestrian bridge  (July, 2004).

Middle reach (C), looking downstream

 (July, 2004).

Middle reach (C), looking upstream

 (July, 2004).

Lower reach (E), looking downstream

 (July, 2004).

The E channel is in there somewhere

 (July, 2004).

Erosion off of the high terrace

 (July, 2004).

Step pool, looking downstream, some erosion on right side (July, 2004).

Step pool, looking downstream, exposed liner (July, 2004).

Upper step pool, looking upstream,

exposed liner (July, 2004).

As bad as it gets, functioning but ugly

(July, 2004).

Lower step pool, looking upstream,

exposed liner (July, 2004).

The vegetation is doing well (July, 2004).

Wetland pond (outer) (July, 2004).

Middle reach, looking downstream

 (July, 2004).

Transition reach, looking upstream

 (July, 2004).

Panoramas of Lost Creek taken from the Santa Fe Elementary School gymnasium roof

(July, 2004).

Overall, I have been very pleased with this project even though I didn’t quite get the step-pool right.  I needed to put about 12-15 more boulders than I did.  It’s functioning properly so far, but it is an eye sore.  The educational opportunity has not been developed as hoped but the potential is definitely there for a very good “Outdoor Classroom”.  I’ve heard rumors that there has been pressure to mow the entire area by some parents.  Perhaps signs should be posted around the perimeter to identify it as an example of an urban stream riparian corridor.  Another problem is the trash.  At one time, the school was periodically having a creek clean up day where students, their parents and teachers collected trash out of the creek, but the presence of sewage precluded that activity.  Hopefully if the sewage problem is remedied this activity will be resumed.