I thought this comment was worth publishing because I know not every one reads the comments under posts, and it is worth reading.

Sadly, the silt is not surprising given the poor storm water runoff control by developers and lack of enforcement by our city. As an example, drive along Royle Rd. and look at all the dirt in the ferns along the drainage ditch on the outside of their storm water runoff fencing on the southeast side of road near the HS…this is right above Gee Creek, and just waiting for a rainfall event to wash all that dirt into the creek!!!  This is exactly why we need storm water runoff permits and regulations at construction sites! I hope these folks get fined for their disregard to our environment and storm water drainage systems. Their mitigation tactics are sub-par and they have the means to do better!

With the heavy rain this morning flows were restored on Allen Canyon Creek. The nice thing about it is how clean the stream is.  The stranded fish are now free but have chosen to stay in the area and when I dropped some food in the creek they eagerly ate it. If a way could be found to sustain some flow during the summer drought, this stream could maintain a population of salmon.
When I returned to town this afternoon I checked Gee Creek in Abrams Park and found a creek heavily laden with sediment.  This is not good.

Both photos were taken this afternoon on Allen Canyon Creek and Gee Creek.

Paul Snoey took this picture yesterday morning at Allen Canyon Creek.  The remaining pools are lowering quickly but if it rains later this week they will be saved.  These fish are about 3 to 4 inches now and are much too crowded in the shrinking pools.  In an upper pool, which has an unknown fish, he noticed a lot of splashing at the surface and then a head popped up and then disappeared again and then more splashing.

The head popped up again and he saw that it was a garter snake.  It was trying to catch fish.  Fish trapped in pools are vulnerable because they have little room to escape.  In addition to snakes, kingfishers, herons, and even raccoons would make a meal of these fish.

The fire that started Saturday September 2^nd  on Eagle Creek spread west with the east winds on Monday.  On Tuesday afternoon in the Gorge, the air was so full of ash and smoke that cars were driving with their headlights on.  The only view of the sun was on the crest of Cape Horn where the above photo was taken.

This is a photo of Eagle Creek before the fire.

(The photos below were taken Sunday, September 10^th.)

Angels Rest is one of the first trails in the Gorge and the trailhead is near the Bridal Veil exit.  The fire spread along the south face of the gorge and burned the summit of Angels Rest.  Devils Rest is the peak in the background and there were many plumes of smoke coming from there as well.   But it is also apparent that there are many areas that did not burn. (Photos taken from Cape Horn trail)

A telephoto view just below the summit of Angel’s Rest shows switchbacks through an area that is burned.  Many trails have sections that are damaged.

Nesmith Point at almost 4,000 feet is part of a boxed canyon that contains several basalt domes. They are named Katanai Rock, Saint Peter’s Dome, Yeon Mountain, and Rock of Ages. All these peaks are burned. (Photos taken from Beacon Rock.)

A telephoto view of St Peter’s Dome shows a burned top.

This fire has been very destructive and disruptive, is not out yet, people are living in shelters, and a major freeway in the area is closed.   The best news is that in a few days we may be having the first significant rainfall in several months.

Last winter’s storminess and this year’s summer drought have taken a toll on the Coho in both Gee Creek and Allen Canyon Creek.  It has likely taken a toll on the native sea-run cutthroat trout as well.  A series of intense storms may have removed most of the fish released from not only this year’s incubators but last year’s as well.  Abrams Park had many fish all summer long last year, but few  this year. The fish that remain on Gee Creek are in pools below Bertsinger Road just before the Pioneer Street Bridge. Allen Canyon Creek has had no flow for several weeks and the fish are trapped in two small pools. Sprinkling some fish food on the surface lets me know how many are still there and how healthy they are.

Yesterday I sprinkled some food in the pool and a few seconds later, the surface was alive with lots of fish.

When I walked back to my truck a large owl suddenly dropped down and landed  on a branch  over the pool.  It is likely that this Great Grey owl had noticed the commotion on the water and wanted to check it out.  It had an intense look with eyes like black marbles.