Spring Creek Harris County

[Terlingua50337]

I was a little bored this weekend and decided to go looking for fall color. I went to a small park in Northwest Harris County where most of the time good photos can be taken. This year is an exception. The drought is really hurting this part of Texas.
 This is Spring Creek, usually a good year round source of water. Today, with the exception of a few isolated holes it is bone dry.
 
http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=SpringCreek.jpg

One of the only bits of color I found were small Chinese Tallow shoots.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=TallowColor.jpg

Trees are dead and dying all along its banks dropping their branches and sometimes the entire tree in the creek bed.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=ShedBranch.jpg

I can only imagine the floods that will happen when these dead trees create dams in the creek at its bends.

Nothing comes here anymore…. The mussel beds are all dry and the mussels dead leaving the coons, possums, skunks and other small game without an important source of food.
 
http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=MusselBed.jpg

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=Mussels.jpg

The only tracks I saw were some deer. Everything else has left the area.

A rope swing hangs still, the swimming hole long dry.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=RopeSwing.jpg

The only thing that remains are the initials carved in the trunk of the tree.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=Carvings.jpg

One of the few remaining holes of water in the creek is this stagnant hole. I’d have trouble forcing myself to filter and drink this water… Actually I think you'd have to chew this water. It’d have to be a do or die situation.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=StagnantPool.jpg

With the water gone the roots of the trees lining the creek are easily seen and make for some interesting photos.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=PineTreeRoots.jpg

A relic of a bygone era is this Aggie Duck Call, aka, a pull tab.

http://s1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/terlingua50337/Spring%20Creek%20Nov%202011/?action=view&current=DuckCall.jpg

All I can say is Texas needs rain.

[kevint]

Where were you on Spring Creek.

[Terlingua50337]

Just outside of Tomball at Spring Creek Park

[homerboy2u]

Hey Terlingua, just so you know. You are well over one step away from home base with your picture posting. No need to post links to your online album, just go back to your links and copy the IMG CODE to your right. Click it inside and automatically a "copied" square will pop up, then dissapear.

  Come back here and just post it...by hitting the Ctrl button along with the "V" button and voila you have a picture to share.




 Great information, BTW.