Mill Creeketh Overfloweth

Mill Creek flooding the ravine

Intense weather is fantastic. After last week’s hail/rain storm, and yesterday’s deluge, I had to get myself down to Mill Creek to have a look, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was gobsmacked. The section of the ravine after 82nd Ave but before 76th was almost entirely immersed in water. From the upper path, I could see, and especially hear a niagara-like waterfall created by the overflowing banks of the mighty Mill Creek. I’ve seen it flood many times, especially in spring, but this is the first time I’ve witnessed the waterfall effect.

Mill Creek Runneth Over not

Must be some sort of gully or drainage ditch down in the field for this very purpose, because the water wasn’t pooling ahead of the waterfall, just behind it. Not having walked through this field before, I’m not even sure it’s accessible on foot, so it’s hard to say if there are any man-made structures that would account for this rather impressive sight. Once I got to the end of the upper path, I was a little surprised to find that the ravine was still open for business, but the bridges were fine, as were the paths. Just a little wet. Encountered a lot of fellow looky-loo’s doing the same thing I was doing: enjoying the carnage. The dogs, too. Nothing like a little white-water paddling, doggy-style.

Flood plants

The rest of Mill Creek was cool and wet. Perhaps not quite so sodden, but like the entire ravine, christly humid. It’s nice to know that this otherwise modest creek can turn into a ferocious river after one soggy week, and a particularly wet Sunday. Very often in summer it is nothing more than a dirty trickle in the dirt.

2:30PM/24C (180% humidity)

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