As someone who already spends a lot of time walking the oath aalong the
creek, i have to agree with Suvia. In the past seven years i have watched
and walked this area, last year was the only year with serious flooding,
and it was wet EVERYWHERE. Leaving the willows needs to part of any plan.
as they provide much needed wild life cover. Lets design a park that meets
more than just another car-park. Lets look at alternatives.
i am not well educated when it comes to flood control and water issues, but
I know a "Hidden treasure" when i see one.
Kenna Eaton, moscow resident and creek walker
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>
> from Suvia Judd edited by Dave Peckham
>
> I noticed that only one of the three plans for the `Hidden
> Treasure' portion of the Linear Park makes much use of the park area for
> flood control, and in that design the natural alternate channel is blocked
> by raised earth with two holes excavated east and west. At the drop-in
> session I spoke with the designer, and he indicated that the plan is to
> CUT DOWN THE EXISING OLD WILLOW TREES ALONG THE CREEK, and recut the banks
> to a shallower angle. I think a better alternative would be to leave the
> trees and the old channel as is, and allow the flood waters to overflow
> down the alternate channel which is broad and shallow and turfed, and
> adequately carried several feet of moving water in the winters of 1996 and
> 1997, as in the past.
>
> I think the park trails can be designed around this nattural
> flood basin, and the basin itself used for frisbee throwing, kite flying
> etc during the 360 plus days it is not flooded. Please consider this
> alternative concept.
> I would like to see the final design work with and reflect the
> existing qualities of the site more strongly. It would be a pity if in
> order to make a "natural" park we had to cut down big willows and move
> more dirt than we would have for apartments.
>
> When I spoke with the Linear Park Task Force they told me that the
> designers had not made any of them aware that all three alternative
> proposals called for cutting down the willows along Paradise Creek.
> Committee members said that PCEI had told them that cutting down the creek
> banks was essential for proper "restoration." as the banks cannot be
> resloped without first removing the willows.
>
> I hope you on the net will discuss this issue. I question whether
> we are working with nature if we cut down the willows, cut down the
> banks of the creek, and block the natural, grasslined overflow swale and
> basin. The one proposal which would use the park site for flood storage
> blocks the overflow channel and digs a huge pit where the wild iris now
> grow.
> Thanks for your thoughts. I'll check in on the comments at he
> library in a week or so.
>
> Suvia Judd
>
>