The 2004-05 Record Rains

The record rains of 2004-2005 caused two distinct events in Elsmere Canyon. The late 2004 rains basically filled the canyon with ashes and sediment from the recently burned (July 2004) area.

The early 2005 rains did just the opposite. They not only cleared out the new sediment from the bottom of the canyon, but eroded the canyon bottom even deeper than it was before. In places, the water changed course from one side of the canyon to the other. The canyon bottom was washed clean and brought back to a pristine condition.

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

At the fork in the northeast tributary wrongly called "La Puerta" by Jerry Reynolds (4/12/2004)

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

4/12/2004

Large concretion by my hammer (4/12/2004)

This is where the road use to cross over the creek (1-30-2005). There were two large pipes that the water flowed through. The pipes were just filled in with sediment and the water carved out a new path to the right of them. As of today (6/10/2007) the pipes were never replaced, just removed. The road was then bulldozed to the level of the creek.

1/30/2005

1/30/2005

1/30/2005

More rain caused more erosion in road (3/6/2005)

3/6/2005

3/6/2005

The rocky bottom of the creek bed is becoming more exposed (3/6/2005)

Note the river terrace on the left formed by the late 2004 rains (4/9/2005)

This photo shows a large boulder circled in the background that was originally attached to the left bank at the scar in the foreground. The record rains of 2004-05 broke it off and forced it about 100 yards downstream. (3/10/2007)