Yukon College Students

Yukon College students have been back into the McIntyre Creek area, using this area to supplement their studies, of flora, fauna, and the water.  Below are a few photos of some of the students I have seen on my hikes.

This looks pretty darned cold standing in the rushing creek!

McIntyre Creek Corridor

Winter is around the corner, and the animal are beginning to move down from the mountains and begin their migrations along the McIntyre Creek corridor.

Sept 17th a large black bear was spotted by Al von Finster just north of the KK on 17th.

Celeste Bendall took the attached photos of a mushroom she spotted, as well as moose droppings in the Ravens Ridge area.

Thankfully the berries have been plentiful, so the bears have been busy munching, and not being much of a problem in the community, but we do live in a wilderness area, and need to be wary.

There was a cougar spotted near Jack Hulland school, so Porter Creek residents were on high alert.  I don't know how the rest of you feel, but frankly, I would prefer to meet a berry eating bear, rather than a cougar who is likely hunting for meat, which could be me!

Moose Droppings

Mushroom 

We had a very successful cleanup at McIntyre Creek. We found sites where people had been long term camping,leaving bedding, tent pieces, left overs of food wrappers, and other garbage. We found party sites with all the garbage left over from those events. We found vacuum cleaners, parts of automobiles, and other debris.

Thank you to all the volunteers who came  out to help to help out with the cleanup, the FOMC board members who again volunteered their time, and to John  who provided the excellent cooking services.

In spite of the large amount of garbage we found, I have to say it has been less than in previous years, so for that we are grateful.

Empty Board Position

At the last Friends of McIntyre Creek Board meeting, our Secretary, Karen Baltgailis, Yukon Conservation Society representative, tendered her resignation, stating that she was cutting down her working and after hours activities, in order to get more personal time.  It is a great reason, but we will definitely miss her.  She has been an amazing supporter, and contributed hugely to the activities of FOMC.

So we are now looking for another person to join our Board in the capacity of Secretary.  If you think you would enjoy helping out, and being a member of the Board, we would be happy to hear from you.   Christina Macdonald, of YCS,  has agreed to continue to provide support and secretarial services to the Board.  .

Our Board meets once a month, and normally has a light meal at the meeting, which makes it a social occasion as well as business, so it isn't at all dreary.  

You can email friendsofmcintyre@gmail.com or contact Christina at the Yukon Conservation office if you are interested, would like more information, or know of anyone who might be willing to join us.

Low Water Update

I hadn't been back to the McIntyre Creek trails since my last post.  The low water levels were too depressing, and my dog who loved to retrieve sticks in the pond, couldn't even swim.  The ducks walking on the mud flats just added to my despair over the state the little pond was in.

However, I needed a longer hike today, so went back to middle McIntyre Creek, and was thrilled to see water levels back to normal, with the mud flats now covered  under water, and the ducks actually swimming instead of walking on mud.

Whatever the problem was, it has been rectified, at least for the time being.  As I earlier said, I had heard that Yukon Electric was holding back water, but I didn't think they would have held back that much to just about totally empty the pond.  But now with the fast flow of the Creek  and filled pond, I guess we can relax, at least for the moment. 

All I can say now, is I am happy to see the pond full of water again, and hope the extremely low levels don't reoccur.  All those mud flats were a depressing sight.  It is sad enough to know the beavers were killed,  which meant their dams are leaking water, but to have the pond so empty that the ducks were walking on mud flats where they formerly would swim, was pretty awful.

Extreme Low Water in Middle McIntyre Creek Pond - August 20, 2013

I think it is time we all have a wake for the death of the middle McIntyre Creek pond, below the Yukon College, and by the blue water treatment building.  Each week the water is lower than the week before, and it will not be long before there is nothing left but a tiny trickle of a creek, and mud flats.

This low water level has definitely affected the water fowl, likely fish, and other life in the creek as well as recreation in the area.  Earlier I heard that Yukon Electric was holding water back for some concrete structure they were building, and stated they would not affect the creek levels.  But how long does it take to build a concrete barrier?  Is it necessary to drain the pond and reduce the Creek for the construction and is this in fact the reason for the low water? 

People, if you are concerned about the low water level shown in these photo, make some calls and start asking questions as to what is happening in this area.  The water is so low that it is very easy for a medium sized dog to walk to the little island, where they had to swim previously.  Ducks are walking where they used to swim.  The Creek itself shows rocks that never were visible before.

We are not only losing a wild life eco system, but a recreation area, and we need to find out what is going on.

If you get any answers, please send an email to friendsofmcintyre@gmail.com

Low Water & Sign & Hike

I was happy to see that the salmon sign that had been removed from the bridge area down from the College when the new signs were posted, has now been replaced, although in the spot that I believe was originally intended for the new sign.

I was just about in panic mode yesterday when I hiked the McIntyre Creek trails and saw what used to be the little pond created by beavers, had been reduced to the lowest level I had ever seen  and I have been hiking there since 1986!  I was sure that in spite of the rain we have been receiving, that if the beavers did not return to this area, we would see the McIntyre Creek return to only being a creek, and the pond would entirely disappear.

So today when I heard on the CBC news that the water was being withheld by Yukon Electric as they were building some cement barrier further up the Creek, I was relieved to learn that this may not be a permanent situation.  In spite of the claims of Yukon Electric that  leaving the water this low would not  affect the wildlife and environment, it definitely was.

The water is so low, the dogs, and likely coyotes and foxes,  can walk to the little island, and I heard a very panicked bird as one dog was investigating the island.  The bird must have a nest there, and whereas it was previously safe on the island, it was now available to predators.

The steadily lower levels of the Pond has reduced the nesting ducks to zero this year.  I saw ducks check the pond out in the spring, but none stayed to raise their young.  The ducks used the marshes to hide their nests, and with the pond water so low, there was no longer any safe nesting areas.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, as in my mind August signals the beginning of Fall, and the down slide to winter.  I know some of you look forward to snow for your winter activities, but I still think we need to get out now and enjoy the sun and daylight while we still have it.

FOMC has been asked to conduct an hour or so hike on the McIntyre Creek trails August 10.  I have volunteered to begin the hike at 1:00 pm sharp, so if any of you would like to join, share any information you have on the plants and your wild life sightings in the area, or just want to go for a group hike,  please show up at the Takhini Elementary public school on Range Road.  We plan to leave promptly, so we can be back in time for a BBQ, so please be on time.

Happy Fall!