One of my favorite things, when it rains a lot like it has been the last few days here, is to go visit all the urban waterways to see how they’re doing. I like seeing them in all their seasons:) Even better is seeing headwaters or confluences, where the waters begin or how they merge. Something about that is super special to me, and we have actually a fair number of headwaters and confluences in Portland.
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(Johnson Creek (left) and Crystal Springs Creek (right))
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I loved the color meld of the Johnson/Crystal Springs Creeks confluence today. Where I took this picture, Crystal Springs Creek, which starts as a spring at Reed College, has flowed for less than 3 miles and even with all the extra rain is still pretty clear. Johnson Creek, which starts in the foothills southeast of Gresham, has at this point flowed maybe 22 miles and has already merged with many other creeks, accumulating over all that distance all the churned-up debris that makes it brown and chocolate-milky in this picture.
And then they flow together to the Willamette River, which also looks swollen and brown these days. And I go visit all of them and come back saturated and wring out my gloves for the 4th time today, and all is well:)
Wow, the difference is so stark there! Thanks for the cool picture that you only needed to brave a storm to achieve.
It was worth all the wringing out of gloves that happened over and over today! ;) heh