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

[Creamer]

"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 have to agree. I like the idea of bentonite or some clay with some cover to seal it up. Whatever you do do not start asking authorities - they will always say no first and if nothing else you will highlight yourself. Forgiveness is much easier to ask for than permission in these cases.

I would see where the dry creekbed goes and make sure it is OK for water to start running there again - you don't want to raise too large a red flag.

I know I would do something because I would love to have the creek.

 

[CurlyDave]

If you really want a permanent water hole for deer and other wildlife, how about just a livestock water trough? Put it where you want, and run water to it through a pipe.

The advantages are huge:

It goes where you want it, not where the creek is, and

The state has nothing to say about it.

Neighbors have nothing to say either.

It is cheap, well maybe running water to it is going to cost something, but the water trough is very cheap.

Set it up and the deer will find it.

 

[RNeumann]

If you really want a permanent water hole for deer and other wildlife, how about just a livestock water trough? Put it where you want, and run water to it through a pipe.

The advantages are huge:

It goes where you want it, not where the creek is, and

The state has nothing to say about it.

Neighbors have nothing to say either.

It is cheap, well maybe running water to it is going to cost something, but the water trough is very cheap.

Set it up and the deer will find it.

I like this idea! OP talks about the water starting at the "top" of the property. If the water is at the highest point on the property it would seem he could put a 3/4"-1" PVC pipe (just big enough pipe to trickle into the trough) in the little water source and use gravity to feed a trough closer to his food plot. If he was worried about ascetics he could even bury the trough.
This would seem to be a reasonable solution without diverting the natural flow of the water.

 

[Redneck in training]

Bentonite seals material with small grain (such as sand or gravel mixed with sand). It will not seal gravels or rocky material. I like the idea with pipe in the flow feeding water to a vessel or small pond placed elsewhere on your property.

 

[prichard]

I understand the sentiment to not contact authorities because the answer will be no. But, as far as anyone knows this creek has been going underground for a hundred years. There could be serious issues diverting it.

But I don't see why you couldn't use farmer2009's idea and divert a small portion of the water downstream to the other portion of the creek bed. And that would be quite easy and inexpensive to test out. Maybe also create a pool or small pond downstream to make it more accessible to wildlife. For that I wouldn't tell anyone about it.

 

[PAGUY]

I have a spring that has flowed from my property downhill to another property where it disappears into a mineshaft that eventually leads to a city sewer drain. From there it would leave the sewer plant and enter the Schuylkill river. That spring was a water source for my neighborhood when it was established. I built a small pond that was primarily used by my black Lab all year long as the water never froze. I tried to stock fish in it but birds and raccoons ate them. As kids we all drank the water from it. I decided to have it tested when I got older and the results were that it was safe to drink as long as you were over two years old and not a senior citizen. There was some bacteria in it. I am 68 yrs old and the spring is still running since its inception.

 

[Boeing]

Thanks to all.....Lots of ideas and suggestions. The creek (I'm told) starts in a strong spring or two up higher on the mountain. It flows nicely down that property and onto mine. It slows and disappears about 100 yds onto my prop. I HAS....once upon a time...continued fully thru my property (all downslope) and under my drive and onto the next lower property. All this is just dry deep, rocky boulder "former creek" now.
I really like the pipe from above to a small pond and/or dry creek path idea. I think I will do that next spring. A also agree with the idea to keep "guberment" off my land. "Curly" I DID seriously check out piping from this creek across to my building as I have NO WATER. The creek is appox 1900' elev and heads down the south side....my building is a major valley and a hill approx 1/2 mile away and is 2100' elev. I have only solar power so no pump will bring it up and I TANK water in every 3 months or so. If I put in a water trough it would have to be refilled every week or so or it would go dry or rancid. I do not live on this property so I could only attend to it every two MONTHS or so...... I PLANT for the animals but I can't "water" them. I bought the property 8 years ago to hunt but find that I enjoy the serenity and using the tractor more than hunting. Getting old, I guess.....:confused3:

 

[airbiscuit]

If you really want a permanent water hole for deer and other wildlife, how about just a livestock water trough? Put it where you want, and run water to it through a pipe.

The advantages are huge:

It goes where you want it, not where the creek is, and

The state has nothing to say about it.

Neighbors have nothing to say either.

It is cheap, well maybe running water to it is going to cost something, but the water trough is very cheap.

Set it up and the deer will find it.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Mark Twain said "Whiskey's for drinkin, water's for fightin,"

 

[Cord]

My property up north does something similar, but the water actually reappears. In this instance, the creek is running over several concealed fissures in the rock. The water runs down into the cracks to the point that it doesn't have enough surface flow to continue. Something similar could happen any time the ground isn't saturated and the water could soak in. The weird thing is that about 50' away from the point where the stream ends is a cliff face. When there is sufficient water, the stream will run over the cliff face and form a nice tall water fall. Other times, the stream will end before the cliff face and at the bottom of the cliff the water will reappear. There is actually a cave at the base of the cliff where the water flows out. In the picture, you'll notice the water falling off the edge is about half of what is actually flowing away from the wall.

 

[Cord]

Thanks to all.....Lots of ideas and suggestions. The creek (I'm told) starts in a strong spring or two up higher on the mountain. It flows nicely down that property and onto mine. It slows and disappears about 100 yds onto my prop. I HAS....once upon a time...continued fully thru my property (all downslope) and under my drive and onto the next lower property. All this is just dry deep, rocky boulder "former creek" now.
I really like the pipe from above to a small pond and/or dry creek path idea. I think I will do that next spring. A also agree with the idea to keep "guberment" off my land. "Curly" I DID seriously check out piping from this creek across to my building as I have NO WATER. The creek is appox 1900' elev and heads down the south side....my building is a major valley and a hill approx 1/2 mile away and is 2100' elev. I have only solar power so no pump will bring it up and I TANK water in every 3 months or so. If I put in a water trough it would have to be refilled every week or so or it would go dry or rancid. I do not live on this property so I could only attend to it every two MONTHS or so...... I PLANT for the animals but I can't "water" them. I bought the property 8 years ago to hunt but find that I enjoy the serenity and using the tractor more than hunting. Getting old, I guess.....:confused3:

Do you have enough developed stream length to use a ram pump? You only need to have the supply hose submerged for the pump to work, the entire pipe does not need to be submerged. Most surface water becomes contaminated very quickly, so this wouldn't be fit for human consumption, but great for fire protection or livestock. Ram Automatic Pumps, Deep Well Pumps - Lehman's