Drama out my back door.
The winter of 2022/2023 my creek undercut a tree, causing it to fall into the creek last Spring. This winter the highest high water flow, just over 2,000 cubic feet/second, moved the fallen tree downstream, allowing us to see how undercut the next tree is.
The arrow marks how far the creek has excavated beneath the tree. Clearly the tree's trunk is hanging over air.
Today, 29 Feb 2024, the creek is rising fast and at 8 AM was at 1,960 cubic feet/second.
Will the tree hang on?
What is out your back door?
Burnside Bob
What's Out Your Back Door
- BurnsideBob
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- Joined: May 6th, 2014, 3:15 pm
- Location: Mount Angel, Oregon
What's Out Your Back Door
I keep making protein shakes but they always turn out like margaritas.
- adamschneider
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Re: What's Out Your Back Door
A giant doing cartwheels, a statue wearing high heels.
Re: What's Out Your Back Door
Nothing remotely as dramatic as the "Geologic time is now" out your back door!
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.
- BurnsideBob
- Posts: 540
- Joined: May 6th, 2014, 3:15 pm
- Location: Mount Angel, Oregon
Re: What's Out Your Back Door
Look at all the happy creatures dancin' on the lawn.
Update 3 March Out My Back Door: Tree is still standing, but there are cracks in the bank.
BurnsideBob
Update 3 March Out My Back Door: Tree is still standing, but there are cracks in the bank.
BurnsideBob
I keep making protein shakes but they always turn out like margaritas.
Re: What's Out Your Back Door
My condolences.BurnsideBob wrote: ↑March 3rd, 2024, 12:55 pm
Update 3 March Out My Back Door: Tree is still standing, but there are cracks in the bank.
BurnsideBob
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.
- retired jerry
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Re: What's Out Your Back Door
does any of this threaten your house? or anything else you don't want washed away?
- Don Nelsen
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Re: What's Out Your Back Door
Looks like your trees are doing better than mine.
About 25 years ago I planted three incense cedars along my creek to help prevent, or at least slow the bank erosion on a tight bend. So far, it's worked somewhat but I fear it's a losing battle. They were all planted with over a foot of solid ground on the creek side but now that's completely gone, and they all lean quite a bit:
50 feet downstream, a western red cedar I planted 20 years ago is in really bad shape: I tried to pull it back up but even a 2,000 lb. pull with a cable puller only moved it a little so I had to give up:
Ah, the joys of home and yard maintenance!
About 25 years ago I planted three incense cedars along my creek to help prevent, or at least slow the bank erosion on a tight bend. So far, it's worked somewhat but I fear it's a losing battle. They were all planted with over a foot of solid ground on the creek side but now that's completely gone, and they all lean quite a bit:
50 feet downstream, a western red cedar I planted 20 years ago is in really bad shape: I tried to pull it back up but even a 2,000 lb. pull with a cable puller only moved it a little so I had to give up:
Ah, the joys of home and yard maintenance!
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
- retired jerry
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Re: What's Out Your Back Door
Creatures will appreciate your trees even if they fall over
- BurnsideBob
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- Joined: May 6th, 2014, 3:15 pm
- Location: Mount Angel, Oregon
Re: What's Out Your Back Door
There is this downstream of the threatened tree, but not on my property. The creek is actively excavating the bank at 2,000 cu ft /sec* flows and ultimately could threaten my lot. The adjoining lot will lose a couple acres before that happens. The stream bank erosion you see in this photo was set up when a 30" diameter Oregon Ash was taken out by a 4,500 cu ft/sec flow about 2018. In subsequent years two smaller trees subcumbed, leaving the stream bank you see in the photo unprotected. The alder you can see has been excavated on all sides and probably won't survive the next 2,000 cu ft/ sec flow.retired jerry wrote: ↑March 4th, 2024, 7:35 amdoes any of this threaten your house? or anything else you don't want washed away?
We could get a weather anomaly that produces a much larger stream flow. Something along the lines of what happened on the Cowlitz River about 25 years ago that closed I-5 (bridge held but approaches washed out).
Hanging tree update. Still hanging. Checked the tree today and maybe the cracks are a hair bigger, but not what a photo would show, so didn't 'shoot' it.
Don, when we bought this property we planted a lot of trees on the stream bank in areas we thought vulnerable. That was 18 years ago and some of these trees are now 12" diameter or bigger. But fundamentally the land is alluvial deposit and if you get a big enough flow, everything will wash away.
BurnsideBob
* There is a stream gauge two miles below my property that I monitor for stream flow.
I keep making protein shakes but they always turn out like margaritas.
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14426
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: What's Out Your Back Door
too bad you can't do something to prevent the erosion, like planting plants
I guess you'll be okay for a long time which is good
I guess you'll be okay for a long time which is good