Amon Creek
| Amon Creek | |
|---|---|
 The West Fork of Amon Creek in Richland | |
  Location of the mouth of Amon Creek in Washington  Amon Creek (Washington (state)) | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| Cities | Kennewick,Richland |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | RuralBenton County,Washington,United States |
| • coordinates | 46°05′48″N119°16′02″W/ 46.09667°N 119.26722°W[1] |
| • elevation | 1,688 ft (515 m)[2] |
| Mouth | Yakima River |
• location | Richland,Benton County,Washington,United States |
• coordinates | 46°14′50″N119°15′41″W/ 46.24722°N 119.26139°W |
• elevation | 351 ft (107 m) |
| Length | 13 mi (21 km)[1]Length measured from the East Fork Source to Mouth at the Yakima River. |
| Basin size | 62.24 sq mi (161.2 km2)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Mouth[3] |
| • average | 54 cu ft/s (1.5 m3/s)[3] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | West Fork Amon Creek |
| • right | East Fork Amon Creek |
Amon Creekis the largesttributaryof the LowerYakima River[4]inBenton County,Washington.From the source of its East Fork to its mouth at the Yakima, it flows about 13 miles (21 km), passing throughKennewickandRichland.The East Fork as well as the main course north of where both forks come together flow south to north. The West Fork starts in Badger Canyon by heading south, but slowly wraps around along with the topography of the canyon to flow out of it northbound. There is an easily visibleriparian zonealong most of the length of the main course, along with the West Fork up Badger Canyon and the East Fork until I-82.
Course
[edit]The entire course of Amon Creek, as well as its two forks, is within Benton County. The creek flows through thesemi-arid climatein therain shadowof theCascade mountains.Because of this, the creek serves an important role as anoasis,especially outside of developed areas.
The flow in the West Fork mainly comes from springs in and around Badger Canyon whereas the flow in the East Fork is primarily runoff from nearby irrigation canals.[5]
Main course
[edit]The East and West Forks of Amon Creek come together at the Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland. It then flows north in acanyonthrough residential portions of Richland. After passing under Columbia Park Trail, the creek enters the dense forest of theYakima River Deltabefore ending at the Yakima River a mile from where it meets theColumbia.Only about 1% of the discharge into the Yakima River is natural.[3]
West Fork
[edit]The West Fork of Amon Creek rises in Badger Canyon southwest of Richland. It flows through the canyon parallel to Badger Road until near Cottonwood Elementary School, where it breaks away and flows underInterstate 82to the west of Badger Road. From there it flows through the Amon Creek Natural Preserve. After that it flows into the Meadow Springs Country Club where it meets the East Fork.
East Fork
[edit]The East Fork of Amon Creek rises in theHorse Heaven Hillssouth of Kennewick and typically only flows when theirrigationcanals are full. Above Interstate 82, the East Fork is usually dry except in times of heavy snow melt or rainfall. After passing under I-82 and entering Kennewick, the East Fork is largely used as a wasteway forcanalsoperated by theKennewick Irrigation District(KID). It then flows pastorchards,under Clearwater Avenue, briefly through Amon Basin, and enters the Meadow Springs Country Club.
Amon Basin
[edit]| Amon Basin | |
|---|---|
| Floor elevation | 500 feet (200 m) |
| Length | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) |
| Width | 0.5 miles (0.8 km) |
| Geography | |
| Rivers | Amon Creek |
Amon Basin is a bowl-shaped area upstream of the Meadow Springs Country Club which holds both the West Fork and the East Fork of Amon Creek. While the two forks pass within about a third of a mile of each other, their confluence is about a mile upstream.
The Amon Basin has unique ecological significance to the area, especially in thewetlandsalong the West Fork where several different kinds of animals can be seen. Outside of the riparian zone, one findssagebrushas well as animal life that is typical of theColumbia Basin.[4]
The basin extends further south along the West Fork than it does along the East Fork.
Recreation
[edit]There are several recreational opportunities along the length of the creek. South of Thompson Hill, many people make use of small two-track roads that cross the East Fork foroff-roading.On the West Fork just north of I-82, there is the Amon Creek Nature Preserve in Amon Basin which includes several trails forhikingand observing the wildlife. The confluence of the two forks is in the Meadow Springs Country Club, which is an 18-holegolf course.[5]At the mouth of the creek in the Yakima River Delta there is a dense forest administered by theUSACEwhich holds many trails for hiking andmountain biking.
Bird watchingis also popular along the entire length of the creek as many migrantbirdsutilize theecosystemaround the creek while they are in the Columbia Basin.[6]
Wildlife
[edit]
Below Meadow Springs Country Club, severalfishspecies have been spotted. In some years, these can includesalmon[7]andtrout,[5]however summer water temperatures, which can exceed 74 °F (23 °C), can be lethal to fish populations. The creek also serves as anoasiswith heightened amounts ofvegetationaround it. The basin around the creek serves as a home tohares,quailandbeavers.[8]River otters[8]have been spotted in the creek.
In Amon Basin, there are about a half dozen beaver dams which form small ponds along the length of the creek in that area.
It is believed thatfish hatcheriesrun by theYakama Nationhave contributed to the fish population in the creek.[7]
History
[edit]Around 8 million years ago, as the Cascade Mountains were starting to rise, the Columbia River changed its course to flow through what is nowWallula Gap.The Yakima River then formed and flowed through Badger Canyon and the Amon Basin, which were carved by the Columbia. Around 10,000 years ago, theMissoula Floodsfurther altered the landscape, opening up theHorn Rapidsarea for the Yakima River to flow through. The West Fork now utilizes the canyons left by the Yakima and Columbia Rivers.[9]
In 1970, the West Fork was altered to provide irrigation to the new Meadow Springs Country Club. They built fourreservoirsconnected by culverts. This made fish passage through the golf course on the West Fork nearly impossible. The East Fork was left in its natural state. Conditions on the West Fork further worsened in 1998 when a KID canal broke, causing release ofsedimentwith the floodwater. Though the floodplain upstream of the golf course served its purpose well, the upper two reservoirs were filled with four feet of sediment, decreasing the depth to between 12 and 18 inches (30 to 46 cm). This starkly raised temperatures in the creek.[5]
In 2008, over 16 tons of illegally dumped trash were removed from the newly established Amon Creek Nature Preserve along the West Fork directly upstream of the golf course. Volunteers also removed 14 broken-down vehicles.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abU.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Amon Canyon,USGSGNIS.
- ^Google Earthelevation for GNIS source coordinates.
- ^abcd"Natural Streamflow Estimates for Watersheds in the Lower Yakima River"(PDF).Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District.Archived(PDF)from the original on 5 March 2016.Retrieved20 Feb2013.
- ^ab"Amon Basin".Tapteal Greenway Association. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-11-04.Retrieved20 Feb2013.
- ^abcd"Amon Creek Fish Passage 2".State of Washington.Archivedfrom the original on 8 April 2013.Retrieved20 Feb2012.
- ^"Birding Locations".Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2011.Retrieved20 Feb2013.
- ^ab"Salmon Take a Liking to Small Yakima River Tributary".Tri-City Herald. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-04-08.Retrieved20 Feb2013.
- ^abc"Amon Creek Addition Key Piece of Parkland".Tri-City Herald. Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2013.Retrieved20 Feb2013.
- ^"Amon Basin Earthcache".Groundspeak.Retrieved20 Feb2013.