Tag Archives: Dry Creek

Weaning Steers

 

I think we’ve finally caught up and close to being on time with our ranch work since the last Atmospheric River at the end of March.  We got across the creek towards the end of April when flow was down to 90 cfs to see our cows while trying to get our fences up to hold them when we gathered and weaned.  Since the ARs, Dry Creek is spider-webbed with streams of sand in new high-water channels requiring some leveling with the skid steer to replace fencing and to approach the creek.  Meanwhile on this side of the road and creek, we’ve had a crew building fence to better accommodate the acreage changes since Robbin and I have scaled down our activities.

 

But on time, our first bunch of calves will be weaned and ready for Visalia Livestock Market’s “Off the Grass Sale” on Wednesday, May 17th.  They are 7-weight Vintage-sired steers.  The market has been strong, though slightly weaker  lately.  With our cow numbers down due to acreage changes and past years of drought, we will need whatever extra money the market will offer us.

 

After seven days a week for nearly two months, it’s a relief to feel caught up.

 

Atmospheric River Repairs

The grass has turned while we’ve been busy repairing our fences in order to sort and ship our calves to town. Because the brush catchers upstream failed to hold all the debris, our pipe fence across the high water channels when the creek was flowing 8,000 cfs (cubic feet/second) collected what leaked by until it was overwhelmed.

It’s been a slow process, but neighbors and friends brought their hydraulic muscle to stand it upright Sunday morning in a couple of hours.  We had to cut it in sections and finished welding them together yesterday.  

Thanks to all concerned.

Crossing the Creek

We haven’t been able to cross Dry Creek for three months due to the series of Atmospheric Rivers that began last December. Subsequently, Robbin and I haven’t seen the cattle for three months.

Fortunately, we had a dozer nearby to spread the cobble and sand bar evenly across the channel.

Salt hungry, they’ve been doing fine without us.  We were quite pleased with both cows and calves.

Spilling Terminus Dam

 

Road closures everywhere, San Joaquin Valley flooded, haven’t left Dry Creek Rd. for a week. Glad we’re on higher ground.  3.5″ more forecast Sunday thru Friday next week.

I am reminded of Christmas Eve, 1955.  Much to my father’s chagrin and contrary to his good judgement, we celebrated with my mother’s parents, Dorothy and Floyd Cutler in Green Acres, Visalia.  Mill Creek ran beside the home and we all took turns watching it rise on the concrete steps leading up from their garage.  When it was time to leave, my Dad carried us three kids and Christmas presents through 3 feet of water to the car, then got the ’53 Buick stuck.  My grandfather hooked on to it with his Studebaker pickup and we drove back to Exeter through the swamps (Lovers Lane to Anderson Road) on the two-lane highway in two plus feet of water (Kaweah River before the Terminus Dam), wincing every time we met another vehicle’s wake in the headlights.  

 

FLOODWATER

 

The creek-flood bears no malice

as it carves its way to a flatland war

unearthing trees and buried cobbles

 

of past centuries—laying waste

to man’s old and new improvements.

It cares no more than the clouds and rain

 

that feed its energy, its violence

and its thunderous roar.  Nor does it

bestow charity to soothe our minds

 

and flesh—it has no agenda, no noble

purpose nor dishonorable motives.

It just is what it always has been.

 

 

THE GRAY DAYS

 

Every day is a holiday

when you can’t remember

what day it is—

 

when you can’t leave the driveway,

can’t leave the blacktop,

when it’s too wet to plow

 

for weeks at a time

as the creek rises and falls

with Atmospheric Rivers.

 

The finches bring branches

of dry debris, Roadrunners

chaunt solicitous love songs

 

despite the divine disasters

that temper mortal urgencies

a week away from the Equinox.

 

 

 

SHELTERED IN PLACE

 

 

                        Highwater debris,

                        enough to measure peak flow

                        gauging stations miss.

 

We’ve begun naming creeks

that flood the dry draws,

pull nominees from our histories

while exchanging guffaws.

 

We have become the helpless

prisoners of the weather,

of flatland floods and saturated mud,

resisting cabin fever.

 

Roads and fences, trees to cut,

our work comes to a halt—

no need to fuss, cows don’t need us

with water, grass and salt.

 

 

DESERT DUELLER

 

 

We never quite know

how our negligence

is ultimately received.

 

Somewhere upstream,

a tire too close to the creek,

became humor and irony

 

tumbling downstream

to balance and settle

with the flood debris—

 

a perfect amount

of seasoning for

a State of Emergency.

 

Cleaning Culverts

With a break in the weather, we, with the help of our neighbors and their equipment, began addressing the plugged culverts that were spilling flood water across Dry Creek Rd. Though we had cleaned the debris from this culvert after the first Atmospheric River, it became impacted with sand with subsequent rains. Essentially, the culvert is too small for these kinds of events and with so many flooding issues in Tulare County, we are low on their priority list.

All in all, we cleaned out three culverts yesterday, two of which have needed attention for years. The weathermen have downgraded the amount of rain to expect in coming days, but on top of the 1,000 cfs already flowing down Dry Creek canyon, its impact rides with the intensity of those rains.

We’re ready as we can be and doing what we can without getting off the asphalt and getting stuck.

Damages Between Storms

 

Another 1.58″ in the last 24 hrs., 2-day total 3.79″, forecast of 4+” through Wednesday, 3/15.

  1. Both sets of brush catchers caught hell and will have to be replaced.  Eroded far bank, widened channel.

      2. Pipe fence we recently built to the creek acted like a brush catcher and is lying flat.

      3 & 4. Culvert on Ridenhour Creek couldn’t handle the flow, wiped out fence and gate braces.

Lots of hillside sloughing on Dry Creek Rd, plugged culverts everywhere.  Road closed.  Greater damages to surrounding roads and small towns, Woodlake, Exeter, Elderwood.  

We’re fine.