October 27, 2007

Wissahickon Creek

After the Rain

(shot with Sony DSC-F828)
(view other photo essays)

Fall, long delayed, fell. A weather front came in on Wednesday and stayed. It rained - mostly a light drizzle - for three days, but on Saturday, we really had some good, hard, rainfall. In the habit of watching the US Geological Survey's stream gauges for kayaking conditions, I was suddenly fascinated to discover a new form of real-time weather porn: Flood fetishism. You can check the level, flow and temperature of the streams in your own neighborhood, at any time, simply by visiting The US Geological Survey's website: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current?type=flow

Flow Data

This graph shows the depth of the Wissahickon creek
by route 73 in Ft. Washington State Park. Around
mid-day on Saturday, it peaked above 10 feet deep!


This graph shows the depth at the mouth of the
Wissahickon, near the Philadelphia Canoe Club.

When I saw these huge spikes, I knew I wanted to go out
and see what was really happening!

Hardcore white-water kayakers and canoeists were
watching other gauges and planning actual adventures
on the Tohickon Creek in Bucks County and other popular
rock-filled streams.

Sampling Sites

I'm not crazy like them. Not yet, anyway. I figured
to take my camera and stop at a few of my favorite picturesque
spots around Wissahickon Creek was more than enough adventure
for my Saturday.




I stopped at these three spots in the part of Fairmount Park
fully contained within the city limits.

Kitchen's Lane

It had stopped raining and I found a number of people already
out enjoying the park. This is Kitchen's Lane bridge, indicated
on the map as the lowest (southernmost) circle.



Normally, the water under this bridge averages about 4" deep and
you can see the gravel and stones that line the creek bed.
This is a popular spot for dog people to bring their animals
to frolic in the placid water. Not today.



During Hurricane Floyd (1999), several of these heavy timbers were damaged
and whole trees were wedged against the stone footings.



The view downstream.





On a hot summer day, you'll see kids swimming in these waters.
I wouldn't do it; what with the upstream pollution.

Valley Green

A bit further up the creek, Valley Green is a popular spot
to let the kids feed bread to flocks of pampered ducks.
Not a single duck was in evidence on this Saturday afternoon.



Looking downstream at Valley Green.
The water was still visibly rising.



As I walked along the gravel path called Forbidden Drive -
forbidden to cars - or most of it - or used to be -
I noticed a red and gray basketball floating madly downstream.
A few seconds later, here came another, all red one!







Heavy rain turns these glorified storm sewers
into elegant multi-tiered waterfalls.



A few hundred yards above Valley Green, this over-brimming falls
is usually a mostly dry dam. On a normal day, you'll see people
standing out there fishing or even spreading a picnic blanket.






One part of me remains completely awed by the power of this much water
pushing its way downstream. A new, calculating part, is now appraising
the angles and judging the risks; imagining a day when I might
try taking a boat over such an obstacle.

Further Upstream

The next three sample sites were further afield. I continued moving upstream
even as it became evident that the peak of the flooding had passed on to
points now behind me.

Germantown Avenue at Chestnut Hill College

My next stop was almost outside the city, at the new bridge
connecting Chestnut Hill College and Montgomery County to
Chestnut Hill.


Chestnut Hill College is a (formerly all women) Catholic school.
I believe they are attempting to become a University.





I can't identify this shrub, but it sure was pretty.



I think this interesting structure was once a spring house.



The previous bridge here was washed out by
Hurricane Floyd and it took nearly four years to build this one.





If I go back there today, I will likely find the tree
in the foreground has washed away.

Flourtown

Another bridge over the Wissahickon - probably the next one to
wash out or collapse - spans Valley Green road in Flourtown.

Fort Washington

The green box in this picture is the housing for the
metering station that provides automatic, real-time
depth and flow data we saw at the top of this page
(and reproduced - for effect - here below).






And here's the water continuing its relentless rush
west and south. This was the first time I realized
that the Wissahickon would run straight west into the
Schuylkill river right around Flat Rock; if it weren't for
the rocky ridge that gives Ridge Pike its name.

Instead, the Wissahickon turns left at the foot of
Chestnut Hill and carves the amazing gorge all its own
that we know as the Wissahickon Valley. It meets up
with the Schuylkill eventually, a bit farther downstream.



It's only water. Falls as rain, runs downhill; making infinitely
complex and changeable patterns. How could we not find it fascinating?



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