Creek Disappeared.....???? How to find it????

[MossRoad]

Looking at your pictures, it looks like where you live is on what's called Karst topography.... your creek has gone into a cave system (small or large, wet or dry, an underground tunnel is a cave).

Karst - Wikipedia

We don't got that here! :laughing: So how you deal with it (as others have mentioned, LEGALLY) is unknown to me. Maybe start with your county extension agent?

 

[CADplans]

You live in Botetourt,, have you ever been to Murder Hole?
It very visually shows where your water is going,,,
(I live a few miles from Murder Hole)

The limestone "melts" and the water is gone.,,

I would not worry about messing with water on my property,,, heck, I have done it,,,

This mini pond never existed before,,
my nephew dug it, and lined it with clay from a pocket of clay he found on my property.

It took about an hour with a 953 CAT,, since he built it,, it has never been below the overflow.

The overflow only works when we get a good rain.
It has been there close to a decade.
I have no idea what fills it,, other than water coming down the mountain,,,
maybe we found a spring?? :confused2:

When we have a drought,, you can find EVERY animal print in the mud imaginable,,,:thumbsup:

 

[dragoneggs]

Very cool CAD! And I like you you used materials on-site.

 

[oosik]

As many have posted here - you may be opening a can of worms. Mother Nature doesn't take well to folks fooling with what she has designed. And you could be getting yourself into an area of "legalities" when altering a natural waterway. Best you check with a government agency such as - State Dept of Natural Resources before dabbling with the creek. They can provide the advice you need or direct you to the appropriate agency(s).

Another thought - consider a small pond on the creek before it disappears - like what CAD has. Draw up a rough sketch of this idea and approach the appropriate government agencies for their council/advice. This may not be such a drastic project, will provide a watering point for the deer and will show the government agencies what you want to do and what you are serious about. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Boeing]

Another thought - consider a small pond on the creek before it disappears - like what CAD has. Draw up a rough sketch of this idea and approach the appropriate government agencies for their council/advice. This may not be such a drastic project, will provide a watering point for the deer and will show the government agencies what you want to do and what you are serious about. Just my 2 cents.[/QUOTE]

Guys, Thank you so much for the information and suggestions. I read the KARST info with great interest. It does describe the situation here. "MY" water may be popping up miles away. There are many BIG boulder filled DRY creek beds around this area. (just north of Buchanan) and I often wonder when and why the water disappeared. These creek beds are huge....with enough rock to build a cathedral....(or nice home)

I could try to create a pond but it would only be about 100' inside my property at the extreme SW corner....not an area usually visited by us humans. There is an old logging path that parallels the creek from two different properties above me. I guess the animals would like a pond but I would hate to benefit and lure hunters from other properties to that small corner. This photo is a small food plot that I put in just below where the creek disappears......
I will try to talk to the county folks about some ideas. Thanks again.

 

[fried1765]

Contact the local water management authority. They should be able to tell you a lot about what's going on and what you can and can't do.

"Contact the local management authority" ????
NEVER! NEVER!! NEVER !!!
Do what you choose, and KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ....unless you want to hear NO for an answer.
It is BETTER to ask for forgiveness,.... than to ask for permission !!!

 

[Texasmark]

Any idea who I could call to get some professional advice?

Try the Agricultural and Mechanical University (A&M) Agricultural Extension Service in your state. There may be a Geologist on staff...help is free.

Down here we drink Ozarka Spring Water from just such the makings of that on the tail end. What's funny is that the springs are located mostly in E. Texas, sandy loam, tall pine trees and all and no mountains or such, just rolling hills. I always thought you needed mountains to have such but not so.

 

[Shaneard]

"Contact the local management authority" ????
NEVER! NEVER!! NEVER !!!
Do what you choose, and KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ....unless you want to hear NO for an answer.
It is BETTER to ask for forgiveness,.... than to ask for permission !!!

I agree with this, you don't want anyone coming on your property and telling you what you can or can't do. Once they come they will see what you have and it will always be their way not yours.

 

[PJSprog]

"Contact the local management authority" ????
NEVER! NEVER!! NEVER !!!
Do what you choose, and KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ....unless you want to hear NO for an answer.
It is BETTER to ask for forgiveness,.... than to ask for permission !!!

... until someone downstream starts to wonder what happened to their water flow, and then you end up with the aforementioned legal can-o-worms.

That water is going somewhere. By altering its course, you are altering the ecosystem that has come to depend on it. Changing the natural flow of water to avoid damage to your home I understand. Changing it because you want deer to hang out on your property I think is a risky proposition. The local wildlife know where to find water.

 

[Egon]

Interesting! How far does the dry creek bed go and what happens if it starts flowing water?

A natural pond may form if the creek be cleaned out and down a little. Large rocks added to stabilize the bottom. Some gravel added to level it out. Then apply the bentonite and hope it seals? Note that the backhoe might disappear when working in the area!

Culvert/flume over the area would be the easiest maybe?.

No idea what the regulations you must abide by are.

Is it a good spot for some copper boilers?