Outlet Creek Heads North

I ventured to the northernmost end of Little Lake Valley to find the convergence of three "paths" leading out of this blog's territory. One of them is Outlet Creek, the destination of the valley's watershed, which all flows north to the Eel River, which flows even further north before turning west to the Pacific Ocean.

I'm sad to hear that this may be the highest water level we'll see in it for the year. More than sad, I'm alarmed!

Backlit Bunch Grass

This is one of those topics where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I worked in a geographic support position for a team of zoologists, botanists, and plant ecologists back in the late 1980s. I loved learning from them whenever I could, especially when I could talk my way onto a rare field trip with them into the natural areas of California. But I am without real authority on the topics, and am simply a lay-natural historian, if anything. In starting this post, I ended up on a hour-long internet browse that ultimately had me surprised to see a few familiar names on a current staff list of the old work unit. But I didn't come up with the factoid I was looking for.

I will assert that this is a photograph of some variety of California native bunchgrass. Europeans commonly call their own related natives "tussock" grass. I was looking for online verification of a vague belief I seem to carry in my brain, that native grasses now comprise only about ten percent of the wild grasses we see in California today, by volume. These natives are actually perennial plants with astonishingly deep roots and long lives. The annual grasses that dominate our hills and valleys are exotics from Mediterranean Europe, which originated with the Spanish conquest and their introduction of cattle ranching here hundreds of years ago.

The bunchgrasses I'm claiming you see here are sitting right in the bed of Baechtel Creek, southwest of Willits along Muir Mill Road, one of the many feeder streams in the Outlet Creek watershed. I photographed them before our most recent rains came, and this winter they will be periodically inundated well over their heads with rainstorm water. There was only a trickle of water wending its way through these tufts in October. Annual grasses don't do so well in such a cycle.

If you are a botanist passing by this page and can correct me on this identification, please leave a comment. I realize I'm using casual language, but that's what I do. It could be that the abundant plants here are the product of a restoration project.

Broaddus Creek

Although we had some good rain a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't enough to get the many streams through town to get moving. Here, Broaddus Creek lies stagnant under white alder trees, as seen from the Main Street overcrossing. The trees should start changing color soon.

For registered CDP bloggers, please visit the members' forums for the December theme poll AND a preliminary January theme poll. I'm counting on you.

Wet Dreams

As I left work the other day, I noticed some welcome clouds forming in the northern sky. It wasn't enough to bring us more rain, but there's a slight chance of some predicted for later this week. We are now at Phase 3 water restrictions in Willits, limiting household water use to no more than 250 gallons a day, and prohibiting non-essential water uses like washing cars or sidewalks. It will take a long season of rain to get us out of this drought.

Anyway, as I then looked directly overhead, I saw this soft-looking blot catching the last of the daylight. And you know, silly me, I quickly spied the head of Foghorn Leghorn, the Looney Tunes character, looking down at me and smiling! Am I nuts? Wait, don't answer that.

Little Lake Valley Wetlands

As the long, dry season nears its end, the wetland areas of the north end of Little Lake Valley recede to a few green patches. Here, a ring of dry teasel surrounds some still green water grasses and reeds, with their toes sunk in the moist earth. We had one day of wonderful rain last week, and I hope it isn't too much longer before we get a bit more.

Cool, Clear Water

That's it. That's the water supply for the city of Willits, photographed on the last day of August. Adding to the drama, there was a vulture up in that snag, sunning himself. The City has already declared a Phase II Water Emergency, with limits on the days and hours residential users can irrigate. If those measures don't work soon, the City will have to go to Phase III, which puts strict caps on daily water use for residences, and scaled cuts for other users. Our water supply now is at the level we were at a month later in the year, last year, which was also too dry. Let's hope the rain comes back on schedule (November?), because we have very little wiggle room.

Putting the "Lake" in Little Lake Valley

The watershed of Little Lake Valley flows north to a bottleneck called Outlet Creek. Rainfall comes in the winter and spring, and if enough happens quickly, a lake forms from the backed up water making its way through a gap in the hills. All that remains of the "lake" this year can be seen in the vehicle track through this marshy area. You can see the water glimmer if you click on the image for a larger view. I'm surprised that these oaks grow on such saturated ground, but they know what they're doing.
NorthLittleLakeVal Jigsaw Puzzle