Drainage ditch

[John Gillio]

It appears that the lower reaches of one of my favorite creeks is becoming a drainage ditch. It made my stomach turn when I saw this.

There had been some nice holes in this stretch of creek. Looks like it will run right down the middle from here maybe to the mouth. I didn't drive to the next bridge downstream to see.

[Eric]

WTF? Sorry for your loss ... you, Mother Nature, and all else who previously enjoyed that area.

[Andy C]

Start making some phone calls. IDNR, IEPA, county water district, etc.  Disgusting.

[Mark K]

Was this public property ?

[Jonn Graham]

A neighbor tried to straighten part of my creek about two years ago.  I called the county engineer and he came right out and put a stop to it.  Matter of fact, he had to repair the damage right away.  They, of course, had no permits to do it.

[alank]

That looks heartbreaking and disgusting, as Andy said.

I hope you do call some of the authorities and can get some action, or the very least explanations.

[Kev-mo]

Yeah that's pretty f'd... it just doesn't even make any kind of sense to do anything like that even if you "own" both sides of the creek/river. 

[Rob G]

Since I have no "before" picture for comparison, can you tell me what someone has exactly done and for what reason?  Was the creek bed always of that fine gravel or sand substrate, no larger rock ?  Does the water normally run higher at this time of year? 

[John Gillio]

On 9/18/2019 at 9:36 PM, Rob G said:

Since I have no "before" picture for comparison, can you tell me what someone has exactly done and for what reason?  Was the creek bed always of that fine gravel or sand substrate, no larger rock ?  Does the water normally run higher at this time of year? 

The water runs low this time of year. The creek used to meander back and forthe from bank to bank through the sand and gravel substrate. With deeper pools here and there. Any cover was from downed timber and what I think were water willows. I don't  know but would say that the creek bed was moved around with a dozer to give it more of a v shape so the creek would run down the middle. My guess is it was done to prevent the creek from undercutting the fields which flank it here. The creek can rage through here in the spring. It was probably cutting into the fields. It is private property.

[mannym]

Sad part is, it won't last. Mother Nature will make it sexy again in a couple years.  

 

Permits are needed when doing anything to a named river/stream.  Just saying.....