Catching up on the February Storms

 It doesn't feel right to let this rainy season fade away without writing about the February storms--especially when they included a rare thunderstorm, and some were bigger than the December storm, which I did write about. So here it is May, the fourth average or wetter-than-average year in a row, and while the soil is already cracking due to the dry spring (although March was average with 6.3" of rain), things look good: the grasses are tall and there is still much green, and the now-disappearing flowers have been wonderful. And a pleasant surprise--the invasive deeply evil (in California, I'm sure it is nice where it is native) star thistle seems to be crowded out by other plants in many areas.

2025 water year total to-date is 47.87" as of the end of May.

Let's turn the clock back to February.

West of Huntoon Spring

"Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" --Aldo Leopold

There is a USGS topographic map in the 7.5-minute series called “West of Huntoon Spring.” Maps in this series are typically named for prominent features that occur on the map. “West of Huntoon Spring” has no notable features that are worthy of a map name, so it is named for a feature on the map that is to the east: Huntoon Spring. This empty spot is simply “West of Huntoon Spring.”

Disasters occur when humans get in the way of a natural process

Building in hazard zones creates a lot of emotional trauma through evacuations, rescues, property damage, injury, and death. Not just once, but repeatedly each time the hazard occurs. This type of short-sighted building ignores natural processes and creates disasters where there don't need to be any.

The Costs of Restoration

The Point Reyes Light published my essay in its March 12, 2025 issue. It was edited for space, and the editor suggested I add what I think of the Seashore ranching situation--that version lost some of the nuances of the first draft, which I present below. I like both versions--the published one I'm happy with, but there are a few elements in the first draft I wish could have been included.

3/28/25 update: In the March 27th issue, a letter to the editor says that my "argument wanders between philosophy, policy, and personal anecdotes without ever arriving at a conclusion." He wouldn't like my blog--wandering between philosophy, policy, and personal anecdotes is a good description of it. It is why I am here and hopefully why you are here on this blog--to gain thoughtful insights. And sometimes conclusions. The letter writer also said my "commentary lacks a clear position or actionable recommendations."  I think the editor's suggestion to add my thoughts on the Seashore situation muddled the point a bit, because my main point wasn't about the Seashore--it was about the commentary that had elements that I disagreed with. I do have a clear position and recommendations for the process--my points are all about the process. Process matters. The outcome will be right if the process is done right. The letter writer said he ended up "confused and lost," to use my words about the other commentary and point them right back at me. Perhaps I could have been clearer, and this page hopefully does that.

Respect and Kindness are Normal; Republicans are Not

The Insurrublicans have a strategy--make the world a hellscape, so that anything they do seems normal in comparison.

They are relying on making the world a meaner place in order to make everything they do seem more normal. It is so important right now to be respectful and kind all the time, going out of our way to make the world a nicer place for everyone, to contrast normalcy with the evil they are doing.

December 2024 Storm

On December 13, 2024, it started raining in the evening, and mostly stopped by 9am on Saturday December 14th.

The Nov 22nd and Dec 14th peak flows on San Geronimo Creek were the same: 1,105 cfs. Daily average flows were 423 cfs & 356 cfs, respectively. In November it took 8.75 hrs of 2.34" of rain (1/4" per hour) to get to peak from 113 cfs; In December it took 7.25 hrs of 2.32" of rain (1/3" per hour). These calculations use rounded times to the nearest hour for rain and quarter hour for flow & add an hour of lag time between rain and flow.

And then things got crazy.

They turned it into Muir Woods

 "They turned it into Muir Woods," I heard someone say as I was leaving Roy's Redwoods yesterday. Roy's Redwoods is San Geronimo Valley's busiest and most famous local redwood grove. There grows the tallest tree in Marin County. 

I had heard this criticism of the $3.5 million Roy's Redwoods rehabilitation project before. The Marin County Open Space District site was closed all summer and completely redone. It is nice to be able to go back this fall and see what it looks like.

The goal of the project was to "

• Restore the hydrologic function of the alluvial valley;
• Improve redwood forest and wetland habitats;
• Guide visitors through an immersive and accessible experience of the redwoods."

When something like this happens, it is like gentrification of the woods. The "new" Roy's Redwoods looks nice--nice trails, well-organized, nice stone work (although the large boulders are a bit out of place and seem to belong in the Sierra Nevada), nice new boardwalks and bridges. It is welcoming in a familiar National Park sort of way, and makes walking the trails pleasant and efficient. I really like the nested loops of the named trails--once you figure out that pattern it is fairly easy to remember where the trails go. The Wilderness Way exploration and adventure zone is a nice (and surprisingly hazardous, and a totally fun mud pit when rainy) touch.

Beautiful stonework at the entrance to Roy's Redwoods

Nice new bridges

Wilderness Way adventure area