
photo by Karen Laslo
Sycamore Pool in the One Mile Recreation Area, which was built around Big Chico Creek, turned brown early this week.
Big Chico Creek turned chocolate brown earlier this week after a light May 12 rain washed vegetation and eroding bank sediment from the Park Fire burn scar into the water. Today the water look somewhat clearer.
Environmental studies professor Mark Stemen said the wash-off has environmental benefits, but also poses potential danger.
“We should be seeing this happen for a while,” Stemen said. The dry weather that followed rain “freed up much more sedimentation.”