dry creek bed. that’s what we’re building. clear as mud? ok, let me explain. the idea of a dry creek bed is that it is generally dry, as whatever water may collect in it runs off, down the river (bed). and if there is no water getting into it, it’s just looking pretty, like a river that’s taking time off.
there is a reason why we need it: the house is built on a hillside, but just below the crest. that means there is a slope towards the house, and the water that may at some point run off will have to be managed. to be clear, the ground also slopes away from the house, we ensure our feet stay dry at all times. the result is a crease where the two slopes meet, and this is where the dry creek bed runs.
st helens is generally pretty dry, with only about 700 mm of rain per year. significantly, the rain is also not concentrated on a particular season, but spread quite randomly around a mean. we are told that often much of that annual precipitation comes down in a few big events, and that is when we will really need to ensure the water finds a way down the hill that does not lead straight through the house.
you can see the creek bed running along the north side of the house, then sloping down around the west (left side). btw, you can also see the remains of the massive burn piles we lit up last week in the north west corner. we’re excited these are gone now: they were an eye sore and a fire hazard. there are a few more to go, but we have to wait for the appropriate weather before we light them up as well.
our professional operator with the big, strong excavator had to leave to help other people, so our little machine had to step up to continue the work, especially since the creek bed was anything but dry after the rain on the weekend. i continue to be amazed what i can get done with that baby excavator, and i only almost tipped it over once or twice – i stayed upright though, i’m learning to use the boom as a crutch.
it does look good, if i say so myself. these granite boulders are amazing, and they are home grown, right from our property (they grow a bit like potatoes and it only takes a little digging to find heaps of them). there are a few meters left to go, i’ll get that done in the coming days.
update: this is as good as i can make it, at least for now. i think it looks good, the more important question is of course if it works. fingers crossed.