Peabody Creek Streamwalk Report

July 20, 1999

• Members: John Hammond, Jim Podlesny, Dave Swan

The downstream walk of Peabody Creek began approximately one mile from the Park Service visitor center on the Peabody Creek trail. This trail is easily found near the turnout 1.4 miles up Hurricane Ridge Road. Our survey began where the trail switchbacks to the creek where a landslide has sent woody debris into the bottom.

It does not appear the slide is damming the creek, having stopped at the bank. Upstream on the west side can be seen an open forest canopy presumably from the clear-cut on private property, now a home site. This is believed to be that of Dan Underwood, a Peninsula College professor. His driveway crosses Peabody Creek over a culvert.

About one-quarter mile below our survey site is a steel debris barrier that spans the creek. This barrier seems to be protecting the first of three culverts that are approximately 150 feet long. The plunge pools of these culverts are two to three feet from the lip of the culvert. This would appear to be an effective barrier to fish. We did see small fish in the pools above the culverts, which could be small trout.

Also, the materials used to construct the culverts must contain some iron, since an orange rusty liquid is oozing from the banks on two of the culverts.

Canary grass, Herb Robert, and some kind of non-native clinging vine is present in this stretch. Herb Robert is also present along the Hurricane Ridge Parkway nearby, observed after the survey.

The creek has washed out the trail in several places near the Canyon Edge neighborhood. There did not appear to be much yard waste dumped over the edge from the home sites. Some pipes and a truck tire were seen in the area around the water main break near the reservoir.

There weren't any animal tracks that we could see other than dogs. Not much for bird life either. Two frogs were seen, about 3 inches long each.

The walk concluded at the visitor center, to be continued another day.

Peabody "B" site was from the Park Avenue culvert north 200 feet; Peabody "c" site was below the Lauridsen Street bridge north for 200 feet; Peabody "D" site was north of the 8th Street culvert 200 feet.

There is quite a bit of rubbish in these sites along with Herb Robert and Japanese Knotweed. Fish passage appears impossible at each culvert. The most remarkable area abuts 9th Street and is a play area for youths with freestyle bicycles. Jumps have been built out of clay, logs, and 55-gallon drums. These average four or five feet in height. Clay runoff is apparent. Numerous pictures were taken and a possible waterline leak was noted.

In the City Center Trailer court there is a retaining wall behind the trailers for 100 yards that restricts the creek channel and eliminates the bank. Also, residents have noted that the creek level rises when William Shore Pool is drained, presumably due to pool water dumped into the storm sewer system above the trailer park. This stormwater conduit is believed to be in the culvert under Peabody Street, a culvert that the Peabody team did not traverse.