January 2014.
In the new year, consider how long Joe’s Creek has run its course as part of the natural watershed. When bison roamed the area, buffalo wallows along the creek served as natural flood water retention ponds. Today, birds, like this juvenile green heron seen shortly after new year, and wildlife of all sorts still find Joe’s Creek a home, or a stopover on their migrations. Native trees and shrubs anchor the banks. (We have plans for some of the invasive plants!) Yet the creek, which also serves as our storm water channel, needs our help to remain a lively watercourse.
NPNA neighbors and other volunteers are champions at clearing and cleaning the banks and the stream bed periodically. Keeping the water itself clean, however, depends upon all of us keeping contaminants out – pesticides, oils and detergents, pool chemicals, even leaves and yard waste – on a daily basis. See Dallas Storm water Department’s www.wheredoesitgo.com for a more detailed picture.
Let’s resolve to enjoy the creek this year, and also work to keep it natural and clean for the years to come.
Vince Punaro & Rebecca Bergstresser