August 2014.
Encouraging recent reports of wildlife in the creek – the sounds of toads or frogs and the sight of juvenile mallards remind us of the importance of keeping the creek clean and its water unpolluted.

NPNA Creek volunteers are simply the best at periodically clearing trash and monitoring for other debris that needs to be removed. However, ordinary litter and trash remains a persistent problem. With each rain or wind storm, more washes down the storm drains to stick in branches and along the creek bed impeding the water flow.

Some neighbors have asked what more can be done to control trash and litter. Some communities have taken steps to ban plastic bags, but litter can originate from countless sources, and thus must be controlled at every source.

Let us know – What are your best ideas on this subject? Thanks for your comments, and assistance in keeping Joe’s Creek a great habitat and natural area in the neighborhood.

Vince Punaro & Rebecca Bergstresser

June 5, 2014.

Uh-oh…Is that swimming pool water draining into Joe’s Creek?
Sad to say, there have been several sightings recently in our neighborhood of swimming pool water being drained to curbsides.  What’s so sad about that?  From the curb the effluent goes into storm drains and from there to Joe’s Creek.  That’s the creek where our children wade and splash and look for tadpoles.  The same creek where we enjoy watching the ducklings waddling after their moms, the dragonflies, wafting among the rocks and rushes, hunting down mosquito larva for lunch.  When pool water goes into the creek without the proper treatment to neutralize its chemicals, it can create hazards for the creek and its residents and visitors.  The chemicals spread from our neighborhood to every waterway on its trip to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.Pool owners need to know that the City of Dallas takes draining of untreated pool  water to city streets very seriously.  Everyone in our area should know that inspectors are on-call to respond promptly to a report of improper pool draining.  The fine for violations can be as much as $2,000-not a trivial amount by any means.  Please inform your pool service companies too.

February 2014.
After the recent rain, more water flowed in the creek, naturally; though in appearance murkier or dirtier than usual.  Whether the muddy color was due to accumulated dirt or something more is being looked into. We encourage neighbors to monitor the creek near their homes and advise of visible pollutants. 

With Valentines Day near, let’s show some love for the creek, and think how we can best keep the water running clean. Hopefully, we’ll then see the ducks and their broods return in the spring. And if the creek isn’t clean, perhaps we won’t see the friendly wildlife, and maybe the coyote then looks to our yards and gardens for a drink! 

We suggest:

1. Choose fertilizer carefully and use no more than recommended.  More is not better –  take care that excess fertilizer (that’s your money) does not get washed into the storm drains. It causes undesirable plant growth that can harm the creek.
2. Do not backwash pool filter material into the storm drains; or backwash or drain pools unless you’re sure the chlorine levels are below City of Dallas minimums. (City of Dallas specifies that pool water discharged into storm drains (via alleys) contain less than 5mg/L chlorine, and have a ph between 6 and 9.)
3. Consider converting part of your landscape to xeriscape, using native plant varieties. You’ll use less water, less fertilizer,  and need fewer chemicals.

Thanks for your consideration, and Happy Valentine’s.

Vince Punaro & Rebecca Bergstresser

January 2014.

In the new year, consider how long Joe’s Creek has run its course as part of the natural watershed. When bison roamed the area, buffalo wallows along the creek served as natural flood water retention ponds. Today, birds, like this juvenile green heron seen shortly after new year, and wildlife of all sorts still find Joe’s Creek a home, or a stopover on their migrations.  Native trees and shrubs anchor the banks. (We have plans for some of the invasive plants!)  Yet the creek, which also serves as our storm water channel, needs our help to remain a lively watercourse.

NPNA neighbors and other volunteers are champions at clearing and cleaning the banks and the stream bed periodically.  Keeping the water itself clean, however, depends upon all of us keeping contaminants out – pesticides, oils and detergents, pool chemicals, even leaves and yard waste – on a daily basis.  See Dallas Storm water Department’s www.wheredoesitgo.com for a more detailed picture.

Let’s resolve to enjoy the creek this year, and also work to keep it natural and clean for the years to come.

Vince Punaro & Rebecca Bergstresser

August 2013. 
That means hovering dragonflies (our most effective mosquito killers), low water levels, pools full of tiny fish, lots of green slime, and continuing masses of fertilizer-induced bubbles. As yard watering becomes more necessary, it’s a good time to check your system to make sure your water is going on your grass and not down the gutter into the creek – where its chemicals may contribute to growth in the creek bed. (For an example of such growth, check the south side of the Alta Vista bridge).

Speaking of plant growth in the creek area, your committee chairs, along with Kiki Paschall, VP Events and Jan Mateja, Bed Maintenance Leader, joined Dallas City Arborist Karen Woodard on a walk to evaluate the tree and shrub situation along the creek. Her message: the trees and bushes growing along the creek are essential to maintaining the banks and protecting the creek channel!  Karen noted that some species, such as the black willow, that provides both erosion control (with its tenacious root system) and wildlife habitat (woodpeckers are often seen in high branches of these trees) are becoming increasingly rare in the city.  These trees are difficult to grow in the nursery trade, so natural preservation is important.

Karen also pointed out that the creek and its surrounding green space are city property, and the city will work with us to maintain the integrity of the creek and its surroundings. If we perceive a problem with water flow or vegetation in the creek, a call to 311 will bring a city representative promptly to the scene to assess the situation. Your creek committee chairs can also assist you with these issues.

So, enjoy our unique neighborhood resource as you keep cool this summer – and thank the dragonflies!

Vince Punaro & Rebecca Bergstresser