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Mar 2004, Looking north, note how the southside marsh will look in 20 years. View from Atlantic Ave
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26Mar07 broken flood gates at Atlantic
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Mar 04, Looking southeast from Atlantic
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Mar 04, Looking southeast from Atlantic
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Mar 04, Looking southeast from Atlantic
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26Mar07 Atlantic looking south, note Failed Bulkhead at Spence property
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Mar 04, Looking south from Atlantic
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25Apr06 What Buffer? Pic taken from Jasmine south shoulder looking south.
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07Jun06 Looking south from Jasmine
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07Jun06 Looking east along Jasmine
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07Jun06 Looking south from Jasmine
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07Jun06 Looking south from Jasmine
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07Jun06 Looking south from Jasmine
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07Jun06 Looking south from Jasmine
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21July06 Looking south, Jasmine in foreground
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21July06 Looking south, Jasmine in foreground
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21July06 Looking west
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21July06 Looking westerly, Jasmine to right
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18Nov06 Looking south from Jasmine
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18Nov06 Looking west
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18Nov06 looking north from Sadler
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Aug06 to Nov06 Note the spread of destruction!
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July 06 Photos by A.D. Kelmers
As you walk north from Jasmine on the path, after a couple hundred yards you come to a series of shallow pools which fill with water only at high tide.
During 2006, these pools frequently were filled with a variety of birds feeding; I suppose, on a variety of snails and shrimp. The following five photos were taken on different dates in 2006.
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2006
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2006
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2006
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2006
During 2007 and continuing this spring in 2008, however, there have been very few birds in these pools.
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2008
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2008
It seems possible that the absence of birds results from the absence of feed. Possibly the salinity of these pools may have changed so that the pools are no longer nurseries from snails and shrimp. If such should be the case, a change in the management of fresh and salt water in the Greenway between Atlantic and Jasmine may be needed. |
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2006
This and the next photo were taken from the southern Greenway crosswalk in 2006
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2008
The area now is choked with brush and grass. Indeed, much of the central region of the Greenway between Atlantic and Jasmine is filling with brush and grass. While this changed ecology may provide cover for small animals, areas suitable for water birds have been greatly decreased.
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2006
The above photo and the next were taken at the same location near the junction of the crosswalk and the main path - note the stake in each photo. In 2006, a flock of white ibis were feeding at this location. In 2008, however, the location had become a dry mud hole and heavy brush is growing into the area.
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2008
My suggestion is that we should not be unaware that significant changes in Greenway ecology are occurring between Atlantic and Jasmine as well as south of Jasmine. Planning for revitalization of the Greenway may need to address the isue of maintaining ponds for water birds. |
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Mar 08 The following pix and comment by A.D.Kelmers
Looking at Egans Creek south of Jasmine, the water was shallow. A steady flow to the north over tree debris was observable |
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Looking further south along Egans Creek, you can see that it runs in a straight ditch (man made?). There is no way to walk along the creek in this area. Satellite photos in Google show that the creek runs in a straight line nearly to Sadler.
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Here are the notorious culverts underneath Jasmine photographed at the north side of Jasmine. Even at low tide, the culverts arepartially submerged. A steady flow of water going north was observed - presumable this flow is a mixture of Egans Creek fresh water and brackish water still draining from the extensive Greenway area south of Jasmine
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Now at high tide the culverts are nearly submerged and a strong flow of water south under Jasmine was observed. Presumably, this water is primarily ocean salt water that has flowed south from Atlantic in the bed of Egans Creek. Egans Creek runs in a straight ditch (man made?) from Atlantic. |
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This is the gauge in Egans Creek just south of Jasmine. A turbulent flow of water is surging southward in the creek headed toward Sadler |
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Looking south from Jasmine at high tide, the creek is obviously deeper than at low tide. Presumably, most of this added water is sea water |
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How Did the Salt Water Reach the Trees (now deceased)?
The extensive area of dead trees is physically removed from Egans Creek and, perhaps, was the area that reportedly was farmed in the 1930s. To have been farmed, that land would have to have been relatively dry. There are (were) three barriers to keep Egans Creek out of the farm land. First, Egans Creek runs in a straight ditch which almost certainly is man made |
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Second, a levee was constructed between Egans Creek and the farm land. That levee now serves as the walking path south of Jasmine |
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Here's another high tide photo showing standing water under the fallen trees. The water appears to be being supplied from the ditch on the south side of Jasmine.
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That ditch, in turn, is supplied with water from Egans Creek by a new-style plastic culvert under the foot path. This culvert seems to be the only breach in the levee which isolates Egans Creekfrom the once farm land and recent but now deceased forest land.
At high tide, water can be seen flowing west from Egans Creek into the mass of dead trees. Could this culvert be the prime cause of the forest destruction? When was this culvert installed?
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Restoration
The photos show an extensive area of dead and fallen trees in standing brackish water. Who is responsible for removing the dead trees?
For that matter, how can the trees be removed? The land is too wet to allow the use of heavy equipment.
Only after the present mess is cleaned up will it be possible to consider replanting. Because this area is flooded with salt water at high tide but not flushed with fresh water from Egans Creek at low tide, the soil may remain saline for a long time.
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