Snow Melt and Rain

All Sunday night it rained hard and by morning everything was icy slushy. Ice on the ridge top and the roads, slushy here in the hollow.

I went out and fed the critters in my old coveralls and a rain jacket. I actually stayed warm and dry. I walked down to the fence line to see how deep the slush/water was and was surprised to hear water running in the 'dry' run.

The dry run is that line of trees in the distance. The dry run ditch takes all the water off from the ridge and fields 100 feet above us and washes down through the depression to the little creek that runs through our property.

I went back to the house and changed into rain pants and grabbed my camera. Hubby was not surprised that I wanted to go out in the rain and sleet.

He shrugged. He knows how I enjoy a good snow melt event.

Yes, the water turns brown as it gathers dirt and manure from our pasture, the neighbor's cattle pasture, and the dirt from the fields on the ridge. This water is probably some from the gravel road up on the ridge also. It all comes downhill through a rocky ravine that is generally dry but only fills with water with snowmelts and heavy run offs.

I followed the water through the neighbor's pasture noting that it still followed the depression in their land. The water eventually makes its way around and over all the fallen branches and obstacles and heads to the creek.

The water keeps searching for the path of least resistance and dumps into the creek where the spring is.

The brown expands outwards as the snow melt and run off increases. The water runs over the slushy ice and eventually melts it too which adds to the volume as the water seeks its way down the valley.

Over the past few years the snow melts have been rather boring and weak. Our normal snowfall and rains have been less than normal. Our creek has become a seasonal creek over the past two years. Parts of it have become dry and others have tiny springs just barely flowing.

I watched fascinated as the snow, leave debris, and water searched its way down the creek.

Below is one of the now dry areas that only flows during a flash flood or run off.

I walked to the other end of this and then climbed alongside the last dry run on our land. I found the spot where the water was working its way down from the ridge. It was going to be an hour or so before it joined the creek bottom.

Still, it was interesting to watch. Well, it was interesting to me.

I waited a while down in the bottom and just watched the little swirls and eddys of bubbles and water.

The rain started coming down heavier again and I figured that hubby would be worried about now. Sadly, I climbed out of the creek and started towards home.

However, I was pleased to see the run off, it made me happy.

Below is a couple of video clips of the water moving through the valley and two different dry runs.
It is 50 seconds long.

I hope we get some more moisture this coming year, so the water can return to normal in our creek. If there ever will be a normal again.