Tuesday, November 5, 2013

A QUESTION...?

When is a Creek not a Creek?



When it becomes a river!



We had a good rainstorm last week.  In the midst of all our wonderful weather, the rain, which we badly needed, chose to come overnight.  I think we got only about half an inch, but it was enough to make a difference to the creek.  We have been holding our breath waiting to see how far the creek would rise.  

In all the years we have lived in Carlsbad there was never any flooding in this park but I have see quite a bit of flooding in the 70's and 80's elsewhere in the three cities that make up our area.  Since that time there have been a lot of drains put in, as new areas of the cities have  developed. 

There was one year in the seventies when there was some small flooding in one part of the park, but that was because some debris got trapped under the one bridge we have and the water backed up.  As it is we estimate that our house is about 20 - 25 feet above the summer creek level, (which is so low the ducks have a hard time swimming! ) You have to remember that the house is raised up off the ground base level by about three feet. Then the back garden slopes down to the actual creek bank, which then slopes  to the creek bed, dropping down about 15 feet.

We are definitely not expecting any flooding We did quite a bit of research through city hall to make sure of that before we bought this house.  We're just excited to see the creek actually look like a river.  In fact, the rain stopped in the very early morning.  It was blue sky and sunshine before I put my nose out from under the sheets and by lunch time it had nearly all gone.

Confession:   My husband took the photos.  Not even the 'river' could get me out of bed -- though I did go to the window and look out.


But all was not well with Scruffy. 


The rain on the roof really spooked him.  It was quite heavy at times and this is our first rain of the season.  It sounds much louder in these 'manufactured' homes than in a normal stucco house. I couldn't get him to eat the night after the rain. He kept looking around expecting the noise to come back. He was back to normal the next day, but rain is forecast for Tuesday -- and well...it is the rainy season and he will just have to learn how to live like a California cat!

This is my contribution to ABC WEDNESDAY which is in its 13th round and so ably led by Mrs. Nesbitt and Roger Owen Green and their trusty band of helpers. Q is quite a struggle for many of us who have been through the alphabet a good many times before, so why don't you pop over to see what masterpieces of imagination have been conjured up for us by other participants. Just click HERE

15 comments:

Leslie: said...

I had no idea you would get that much rain. But I'm sure it's still warmer than it is here in Vancouver.

Leslie
abcw team

Roger Owen Green said...

Quality post. I don't find Q that difficult. X, on the other hand...
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

photowannabe said...

Love your creek/river in your backyard. I think you live in a bit of paradise.
So sorry about Scruffy. Hope he becomes acclimated to the new sounds.

Joy said...

That is an impressive accumulation of water. Its strange how cats can be spooked by noise and yet lay contentedly dozing by a loudspeaker. We are having a lot of rainy Atlantic storms over here.

snafu said...

It seems to be a local thing. In England a creek is most commonly a tidal watercourse open to the sea. I lived in a Riverside Cottage in 2006 which had what I would describe as a ditch along one side of the garden, but it was the River Tarrant on the maps and most of the time it was just a trickle but once it flooded right over the garden.

Carver said...

Beautiful shots. I love creeks and rivers and oceans and lakes. Noticing a trend here. I do love bodies of water but also know flooding can be a problem. Carver, ABC Wed. Team

Reader Wil said...

I afraid of heavy rainfall too. In some places in my country there was some flooding last week. The climate is changing for sure.
Thank you for your comment. You know more about the deadsea scrolls than I ! My knowledge is partly from my visit to the museum and partly from Wikipedia. But as I had to look for a letter Q, I thought Qumran was a good choice for this letter.
Have a great week.
Wil, ABCW Team

Gerald (SK14) said...

We had a small flood before the recent storms due to the drains being blocked by fallen leaves. Sounds like your creek is doing its job and coping with the excess flow.

Ann said...

Sounds like your house is well prepared for large rains. I love the sound of rain on metal structures, maybe Scruffy will adjust.
Ann

K V V S MURTHY said...

Good pics!

Hildred said...

Great picture, - love the one of Scruffly's eyes and hope he is calmer now and in tune with the sounds he hears....

jabblog said...

Poor Scruffy! Wonderful photo of those gorgeous eyes. The creek looks beautiful. It's always worrying living near water but you sound quite secure.

Mara said...

I am sorry for Scruffy. It must be difficult having to first live in a new house in new surroundings and then have all that noise come down one day! Poor Scruffy!

sandy said...

How nice to have the creek/river so close to the house and you get to see those ducks often! Poor Scruffy - he'll get use to it.

Scriptor Senex said...

Shame on you letting your husband take the piccies. So glad you are definitely above flood level and equally glad you had a decent river to look at. Quite exciting.