Fighting the forces of nature

In the passed 3 months the Tenterfield Creek has undergone a major change to it's layout by 2 minor and 1 semi major floods. In all the time I have been watching this section of the creek never have I seen so much change happening in such a short period of time. Ironically, the placement of sand and rocks has been only on the topside of the creek (north and west sides) - the same sides of the creek in which I have been planting trees and shrubs.

It may be a coincidence but it looks like mother nature is working with me to rebuild the creek and to transform it into something that prevents erosion on my neighbour Carols side of the creek. Its like nature is back building the creek bank for me. I can't explain this any other way but I'm sure a scientist could.

The downside to all of this is I have lost quite a few tree and shrub seedlings to the floods these passed few months. I have not done a seedling dead toll of this last flood but will do so when the water subsides. The previous flood saw the death of 10 seedlings.

The dumping of the sand occurred in just a few days during the peak of the flood, around Friday, the 1st March. There is no possible way any human could shift this amount of sand with their bare hands in just a few days and the intricate details of the placement of the sand is marvellous.

This last flood has created sand dunes in places where the Dam water comes into the creek, and another sandbank that has turned into a channel for the water coming from a westerly direction which curves into the stretch of water which also runs toward the Douglas Street bridge. This formation where the 2 sections merge suspiciously looks like the creation of a river or a river's mouth.

It is hard to describe in mere words what nature has done to the creek recently so I will add some photos as a visual aid. The aftermath of this last flood has to be seen to be believed. Photos can only do so much justice to the marvels of nature of this flood.

As far as I am aware, no animals were harmed in the making of this flood-induced reconstruction of the landscape.

The sand buildup on the left was not there before. The ground used to dramatically slope down half
way then flatten off to the water's edge. It was all covered in grass.

A huge amount of sand has been dumped on this bend of the creek. The water flows in a curve (from the right in this image) now as it merges into the flow of the water coming from the Dam (center top).

This particular section is interesting. Where the water meets the trees on the left, a dangerous swell now
has formed in that area. The creek used to bend here but it looks like it is forming a straight line.

This area used to be severely eroded by previous flood waters, but nature has backfilled this entire
section with sand and rocks, creating a minature beach.

Looking west you can see the path of rocks that had been swept into the area by the flood. Two of my Flooded Gum trees are barely visible near the top of the photo.

The two Flooded Gums hanging in there, after numerous floods. Bent over by the force of water, and probably by the rocks rolling them over as they were swept through the area.

A Melaleuca survivor. I didn't know this fellow was even there. It survived by growing behind a large boulder, protected from the severity of any flood's current.

Boulders that were disturbed by Council workers last year seem to be still in place. The ground around them may have been washed away though.

Topsoil, plants, and fencing has been removed by the power of this minor flood. The debris ended up where I am trying to plant trees along the creek.

Observing through photographs, the strongest native plants to survive these monor, and major, floods are Melaleucas. They seem to be conviently placed in pockets where their roots are not fully exposed to the strongest currents that a flood creates.

Keeping this is mind, I have decided to plant gum trees and Meleleucas in small pockets that will also be protected from the stronger currents. I believe that this might be the only way to get the seedlings to survive future floodings. With their guaranteed survival in the creek, I will be able to add future plants in similiar locations.

However, the main problem will be revegetating the main stretch of the creek where the 2 water flows merge and flow together. I think revegetating the top of the creek bank on the west side is a possible starting point, as that is where the sand is back building - along that sloped area. I'll have to use any existing plants as a barrier to the strong currents, though, which is very sparse in this area. In the main section of the creek there are a few willow tree stumps which I will also use as protection for more gum trees and Melaleucas. If I can get any of these 2 species to establish whilst being shielded from the strong current of the water, I will be extremely happy.

Revegetating the creek is more complicated that I first thought. It has to be a slow process, a process that will allow nature to create whatever it is creating with the creek, be it river or river mouth. Moving the future seedlings to locations directly in the path of the strongest of water currents is a top priority now. Nature has shown me where trees and bushes are surving during floods - I only need to manually do the same and in several years time flora will begin to florish as their roots will help bind the soil together to help future seedlings' roots bind amongst their roots.

It's simple logic really but complicated and disheartening by man's desires to revegate a creek without thinking of how or where plants survive in the extremes of floods.

My next task - to build a foundation network of plants whose roots will merge together in sheltered pockets of the creek.