We walk a loop through Byrne Creek Ravine Park nearly every day, and it never gets boring.
An unusually long-lasting snowfall here in the lower mainland of British Columbia shrouded the trees and covered the ground with satisfyingly crunchy snow for nearly two weeks.
That was followed the more usual rains, and the impact on the creek is amazing to watch.
Because we're in an urban area, all the water from roads, parking lots and buildings pours down storm drains that empty directly into the creek, resulting in very "flashy" behavior. The water level rises dramatically in a very short period, and the massive flows during storm peaks can radically change the creek.
The last series of heavy rains eroded the banks in some areas, broadened the creek in others and cut new channels.
It's also interesting to observe changes in wildlife behavior through the seasons. Even the fish move around -- while you can see dozens or even hundreds of cutthroat trout and coho salmon smolts in some areas during the fall months, they have now seemingly disappeared from the large pools. We know they're out there, they're just much harder to find now.
More bug life is also starting to appear, with lots of mayfly nymphs to be found, and even the odd batches of hatched mayflies on warmer days.
If you just slow down and look, there's always something new that Byrne Creek can teach you.
Posted by Paul at January 29, 2005 08:05 PM