flooding Archives - Janice Kelley

Wildlife Returns to the River

The American River is quiet once again after one of the wettest winters in 20 years. What wildlife will return to the river this spring?

River of Emptiness – After the Flood

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017

Saturday April 22, 2017 8 am

During my morning walk, I hear birds greeting the day as they sing hidden in trees lining Fair Oaks Village and nearby streets. A few chickens greet me, still emerging from their evening hiding places in trees and under shrubs.

Sun is high in the sky. Dawn arrives before 6 am on these spring mornings. The sun is already over the horizon to light the morning. Thin, scattered clouds streak the sky. The green water is calmly moving downstream. Sunlight sparkles on the water. As I stand on the bridge, I hear the deep throated cooing from unseen pigeons. The river is empty. Not even one duck is out swimming this morning. All the homes, hiding places, ridges and islands for wildlife to settle on are overrun with water. The river runs high again today and so many once dry places are still flooded.

One tree with roots exposed stands as a marker to the constantly changing water level. During the peak of winter storms, the tall, thin tree was completely surrounded by water, sitting as an island several feet from the water’s edge. Today as in many recent days past, it hugs the eroded shore, roots exposed.Read more

Sights on American River Parkway

September 19, 2018September 20, 2018

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

A collection of sights from morning and afternoon bike rides along the American River Parkway last week.

ducks, sleeping, mornings, Fair Oaks, American River, jim's bridge — Time for an afternoon nap. A third duck wanted to climb on the rock. It was quickly scolded by the other two ducks and sent away. *“Get out of here. This rock is full. We want to take a nap!”* in duck speak.

geese, ducks, seagull — Tracks in the sand at the river’s edge. Looks like Canada Geese were here.

woodpecker, telephone pole, — Woodpeckers are doing a lot of work on this telephone pole. Do they expect to find worms here?

From a bed of brown, dry weeds, leaves and grasses, emerges rows of beautiful bright-eyed pink flowers.

Great Blue Heron, patrol, American River, Fair Oaks Bridge — The Great Blue Heron flies in with its usual chortle and steps carefully as it patrols the riverbank searching for food.

tree trunk, American River, flood, debris — The American River is currently running very shallow all the way across. This debris (formerly a tree) is likely to have been uprooted during Winter 2017 flooding and making very slow progress down river.