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Jon Love stands in the dry bed of Rush Creek, usually flowing through his property this time of year.
This year, Jon and Sandy Love's grandchildren won't find any crawdads, fish or salamanders in the creek that runs through their grandparent's property.
Rush Creek is bone dry.
"It's just completely stopped and dried up," said Jon Love. This is the first year Love has seen the creek without water since he purchased the property 31 years ago.
The blackberry bushes that are usually green and lush are dry and shriveled. The last of the fish carcasses have disappeared along with the bear and deer, Love said.
Five tributaries flow into Rush Creek above the Loves' property before cascading past the Independence Trail and into the Yuba River. Jon Love believes upstream users are taking more than their fare share.
Rush Creek is bone dry.
"It's just completely stopped and dried up," said Jon Love. This is the first year Love has seen the creek without water since he purchased the property 31 years ago.
The blackberry bushes that are usually green and lush are dry and shriveled. The last of the fish carcasses have disappeared along with the bear and deer, Love said.
Five tributaries flow into Rush Creek above the Loves' property before cascading past the Independence Trail and into the Yuba River. Jon Love believes upstream users are taking more than their fare share.
Neighbor Harley Lehman has been using hoses to fill a wide spot in the creek that runs on his property to keep water critters and fish alive.
During the past five years, he's witnessed the water levels fluctuate wildly, and he believes someone is tapping into a spring that flows into one of Rush Creek's tributaries.
"I've been trying to get to the bottom of it for five years," he said.
Lehman has contacted the state water board, South Yuba River Citizens League, Sequoia Challenge and other agencies with little success.
"I have a whole list of people I've called," Lehman said.
During the past five years, he's witnessed the water levels fluctuate wildly, and he believes someone is tapping into a spring that flows into one of Rush Creek's tributaries.
"I've been trying to get to the bottom of it for five years," he said.
Lehman has contacted the state water board, South Yuba River Citizens League, Sequoia Challenge and other agencies with little success.
"I have a whole list of people I've called," Lehman said.
Dry year
Creeks throughout the foothills are drying up because of the lower than average snow packs, said Don Wight, water operations manager for Nevada Irrigation District. NID does not have jurisdiction or use Rush Creek for water deliveries, but it does have a reservoir and canals in the area.
The dry creek could be the result of a change in upstream water use in the smaller tributaries, compounded by this year's extreme dryness, Wight said. Larger farms upstream have ceased buying water from the water agency's canals flowing in the region in recent years, and the lack of runoff could potentially impact the creek's water flow, Wight said.
In January, a woman called NID wondering why Rush Creek was running so dry, Wight said.
"This isn't a new phenomenon. I'm not surprised it's dry," Wight said.
Creeks throughout the foothills are drying up because of the lower than average snow packs, said Don Wight, water operations manager for Nevada Irrigation District. NID does not have jurisdiction or use Rush Creek for water deliveries, but it does have a reservoir and canals in the area.
The dry creek could be the result of a change in upstream water use in the smaller tributaries, compounded by this year's extreme dryness, Wight said. Larger farms upstream have ceased buying water from the water agency's canals flowing in the region in recent years, and the lack of runoff could potentially impact the creek's water flow, Wight said.
In January, a woman called NID wondering why Rush Creek was running so dry, Wight said.
"This isn't a new phenomenon. I'm not surprised it's dry," Wight said.
According to the State Water Resources Control Board, property owners have rights to water that flows on their land within limits. The agency ideally investigates complaints and fines those who divert water illegally, but budgetary constraints cause delays.
"There's not enough staff to be looking at everyone," said Ken Emanuel, environmental scientist for the state water board.
That's not reassuring to the Loves, Lehman and their neighbor Lillian Haakinson, who want answers now.
"My grandson used to fish there in that hole. This sure isn't normal. We've never not had water in there in the 22 years I've lived here," Haakinson said.
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To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
"There's not enough staff to be looking at everyone," said Ken Emanuel, environmental scientist for the state water board.
That's not reassuring to the Loves, Lehman and their neighbor Lillian Haakinson, who want answers now.
"My grandson used to fish there in that hole. This sure isn't normal. We've never not had water in there in the 22 years I've lived here," Haakinson said.
ooo
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
