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Chester County clouds Downingtown Drawdown HDR Lakes Marsh Creek State Park Nature Photo Essay Photo Journal Photography Tone Mapping Water Weather

Exploring the missing water – Day 1

Earlier in the morning, after getting the kids off to school, and checking in with the digital world, I looked out the window to see if I should make the trip back to the dam at Marsh Creek Lake.

I was not too convinced that it be a good day, but I did eventually made it up to the dam, where I had only been two days before, but this time with my tripod.

My goal was to start at the spillway gate, and head north along the shoreline as far as I could go, and maybe even get onto the concrete of the main emergency spillway.

Spillway Gate
Spillway Gate

Walking across the rugged rocks, I wondered to myself several times, if I should not head straight up the hill to the vehicle road, but decided against it, and was greeted with this view when I looked back at the spillway gate.

Looking back across the dam
Looking back across the dam

Continuing down the shoreline, I was heading towards the pilings that I had seen from the opposite shore two days before, and was one of my real quests for today.

Woodhenge at Marsh Creek
Woodhenge at Marsh Creek

When I got there, surprised to see that what looked like a dock or morning from a distance, seem to be pilings randomly placed poles into the shoreline.

Lonely Cat o’nine tails
Lonely Cat o’nine tails

I walked around the point, and onto a dry area which would have normally been covered in several feet of water, and continued looking for a way, to further explore down in the spillway.

In the Marsh
In the Marsh

It was difficult walking in the dried swamp grass and cat o’nine tails, but I could see animal tracks heading the direction I wanted to go.

Tt was very apparent that the creatures knew how to maneuver the terrain better than I could.

Eventually time was getting the best of me, and I had to head back to my car before my kids got home from school.

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00 - Alerts Chester County Downingtown Drawdown HDR Lakes Marsh Creek State Park Nature Photo Essay Photo Journal Photography Tone Mapping Water

Missing some water – Drawdown

Earlier in the week, I had seen a posting on Facebook that mentioned the Chester County Water Resources Authority, and how they were going to be lowering the water level of Marsh Creek Lake by 8 feet, so I was more than a little interested in seeing what the effects would be, especially having seen the heavy water flow after hurricane Sandy just two weeks before.

Why is Marsh Creek Lake so low?
Why is Marsh Creek Lake so low?

My niece, Katelyn, had spent the night on a sleep-over, and wanted to joined us on our family walk, especially since she had never been to the dam before.

We parked at the maintenance entrance along Dorlan Mill road, and walked down the long hill, and then onto the trails on the right, heading toward the main emergency spillway to the north.

It was fun watching the kids as they galloped along the trail, and it was easy to see that both Logan and Madison had been down this trail before, while Katelyn was being a little bit more cautious as we moved along the trails.

At the top of the clearing, near the concrete barrier, we got our first glimpses of the drawdown looking into the once marshy area.

Spillway gate and Safety sign
Spillway gate and Safety sign

The full impact of the water loss did not hit us until we were walking across the maintenance road on top of the dam, looking down at 20-40+ feet of a new ‘shoreline’.

We walked down the bank alone side the spillway gate, and at the water’s edge, were very amused to see the safety signs above our heads.

As we walked along the western shoreline, the kids delighted in throwing rocks, and launching weather worn planks into the lake, only to have them come back ashore further down our walk.

During our walk, I ran into a gentlemen and his son, and as we talked, he mentioned that he had heard that at lake had covered up a whole township. I was very surprised to hear this, and having never heard this before, I knew I needed to look this up later.

I caught up with my kids again, and as we walking along the ‘beach’, we saw old worn wood docks and cinder blocks thrown all around.

The new shoreline of Marsh Creek Lake
The new shoreline of Marsh Creek Lake

With a careful eye, I also spotted fishing lures, old bottles, cans, hats, while the ‘rock-hound’ in me, also spotted many beautiful examples of layered sedimentary rocks, along with many of examples of quartz with a deep dull blue color.

The kids being kids, wanted to bring everything home, but we had to limit it to what you could carry home on your own…

I was very surprised, but we now have several new door stoppers in two homes!

[Update – History]

Question – Was there a township covered by Marsh Creek Lake?

Yes.

There are records dating back to the 1880s of a community known as Millford Mills, a farming village in the Marsh Creek Valley, which provided food, paper and other products to the Chester County area.

During the mid-1950s, the Chester County commissioners commissioned a survey on the Marsh Creek Valley and devised a plan to create a new reservoir to benefit the Uwchlan and surrounding area townships.

Between 1964-1978, the State of Pennsylvania acquired the land and relocated the residents of those remaining in Milford Mills.

Construction began in 1970, with the clearing of structures, trees and other obstacles.

By 1973, the Dam was completed, and then took another three years for the lake to fill.

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Categories
Chester County Creeks Downingtown Events Hurricanes Photo Essay Photography Streams Water Weather

Norwood Rd Creek (1/11 5/11 10/12)

Hurricane Sandy passed through our area early last week, and since then, I have gone out several times to take advantage of the photographic challenges that such a storm presents.

The following is a triptych created out of three images from

on a small little back road of Downingtown, Chester County PA.

To get the FULL image, you may need to Zoom-In, 2-times, by Double-Clicking (1000×588).

Norwood Rd Creek (1/11 5/31 10/12)
Norwood Rd Creek (1/11 5/31 10/12)

More of my Hurricane Sandy adventures can be found in my blog.
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Chester County Creeks Downingtown Hurricanes Marsh Creek State Park Nature Pennsylvania Photo Essay Photo Journal Streams

Marsh Creek Spillway (9/12 vs 11/4)

A comparison of the spillway dam in Marsh Creek State Park. (Sep ’12 vs Nov ’12) – In the September picture, I am standing in about 4-6 inches of water. — at Marsh Creek State Park.

To get the FULL image, you may need to Zoom-In, 2-times, by Double-Clicking (1500×618).

Marsh Creek Spillway comparison (9/12 vs 11/4)
Marsh Creek Spillway comparison (9/12 vs 11/4)
– Andrew
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Categories
Chester County Creeks Downingtown Hurricanes Marsh Creek State Park Nature Photo Essay Photography Streams Water

Sick of Politics and went for a walk

After spending my Sunday morning, reading all the various headlines, weeding through the rhetoric and engaging in several spirited conversations, it was time to get out of the house.

Especially with the kids!

We backed up, and headed to the Marsh Creek Dam trailhead, and started our Sunday Family nature walk.

The three of us were eager to see what the water level was, since hurricane Sandy had passed over our area earlier in the week.

As we headed down the hill, in the distance, one could see the rapid flow of water as it traveled down the spillway, and by the time we reached the USGS station, it was easy to hear the water thundering over the dam.

From the observation area, we were amazed at the power in front of us.

We walked along the trail, enjoying the first cold weather of the season as we headed for the metal bridge.

After some time, we headed back to the car, as I commented about my adventures to this area back in September.

At dinner, all the kids could talk about was the flooding and the smell!
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