COVID Journal, Day 158: Green on Green

67 this morning, cloudy. Warmed up to the 80's and humid, looking like rain this afternoon but nothing so far.

There is a large watershed lake a few miles from here that is one of the most beautiful places in our county. Unlike other local scenery which usually features rolling hills and valleys, this is a strange place with rotting tree stumps sticking up out of the water, and many narrow backwaters and marshes. I am fascinated by it, especially the area with the stumps, which sprout a fine crop of grasses and other plants every summer. I have wanted to photograph this for a long time, and finally took time to do so the other day.

A Great Blue Heron surveys his watery kingdom. We have spotted eagles and egrets here too, but not this day. The heron had the stumps to himself.

This lake is called Elk Fork Lake, and it's located on Gay Road, just a few miles from the town of Ripley. It was constructed to control runoff that used to regularly flood Ripley and other low-lying communities. 

This is a popular fishing lake. There are usually quite a few boats in the water every day. It must be tricky navigating among the underwater snags.

There were seven lakes built altogether; the one on my road, Joe's Run, was the first, completed in the mid-70's, and I believe Elk Fork Lake was the last. All have provided recreational activities that were not formerly available. There was some opposition to the flooding of prime farmland to create these lakes, but I believe their worth has been proved by the reduced flooding and the many uses they offer--not to mention the abundance of wildlife and waterfowl that the lakes attract.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.