Hydrodictyon in Wabash River

The Wabash River is abnormally low due to the many weeks of dry weather.  The algae growing here in this shallow slow-current spot is Hydrodictyon, sometimes called Water Net.  It has a characteristic yellow-green color when viewed from a distance like this.  This is near the boat ramp at Mascouten Park in West Lafayette.  The Wabash River water level as measured at the Lafayette gauging station is 1.61 feet.  All pictures taken July 7, 2012.

Link to Wabash River levels:

A closer look at the Hydrodictyon in the Wabash River.  The cells of this algae are linked together in a net pattern.

Link to Hydrodictyon:

Hydrodictyon forms these net tubes about a centimeter wide.

Link to Hydrodictyon:

An even closer look at the Hydrodictyon cell structure.  Each scale division is one millimeter.

REVISION July 23, 2012:  It seems that the Lafayette gauging station was recalibrated soon after this picture was taken, the corrected water level on this day would have been something like 1.0 feet.

Creeping Water Primrose

Creeping Water Primrose (Ludwigia peploides ssp. glabrescens). At Celery Bog Park, the northernmost wet area, just south of Cumberland Ave.  With months of dry weather the water level is receding and this Ludwigia is spreading over the area that is normally under water. The cylindrical cage in the background is the drain for the whole Celery Bog Park wetland system.  No outflow from this drain now though as the water level is too low.

Link to previous post on drain in 2008:

Link to Ludwigia peploides ssp. glabrescens:

Link to Ludwigia peploides:

Link to Ludwigia peploides:

Runners grow horizontally as the plant spreads and colonizes the newly exposed bare soil.

Pictures taken July 1, 2012.

Arnoglossum atriplicifolium

Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium), at Celery Bog Park.  A plant of prairie habitats, this species was introduced here in the park a few years ago in a prairie restoration effort.

Picture taken June 30, 2012.

Link to Arnoglossum atriplicifolium:

Link to Arnoglossum atriplicifolium:

Juglans nigra at Celery Bog Park

Here is a new black walnut sapling along the back trail on the west side of Celery Bog Park.  This part of the park is more or less being maintained as a prairie habitat.  Once farmland, when the park was created, prairie plants were added in a prairie restoration effort.  Despite this, walnut trees are sprouting here and there.  If left to itself, this area might return to forest. 

Picture taken June 30, 2012.

Link to previous post on black walnut (Juglans nigra):

Lactuca serriola

This is the common prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola), along the Cumberland Avenue roadside at the north end of Celery Bog Park.  Its habitat is disturbed areas which is why it so familiar in urbanized areas where mowing or earthmoving has occurred.  This plant has grown to maturity, as an annual it only takes a single season.  It will die off before winter and the tiny dandelion-like seeds will float away.  If the seed falls on another disturbed area it may grow into another prickly lettuce there.  If nobody hits this spot with a mower or a weedwhacker or herbicide, it will eventually be colonized by a different plant of a more stable ecosystem.

Link to Lactuca serriola:

Link to Lactuca serriola:

Link to Lactuca serriola:

Here is a view of Lactuca serriola in the same location, that has not yet matured to the flowering stage.  This is how we normally see it, before somebody calls it a weed and tries to destroy it.  Our culture has brainwashed us into thinking this way. 

Pictures taken June 30, 2012.

Bouncing Bet at Willamsport Falls

Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis), in flower, at the edge of the bedrock floor of the creek just before it goes over Williamsport Falls.

This plant is reputed to be used to make a soap to wash things with.  Years ago as an experiment I took some Bouncing Bet and crushed it up and swished it around in some clean water.  It made a weak foam on the water but the water got so dirty that I hardly think it would have been able to get anything clean.  

Link to Saponaria officinalis:

Link to Saponaria officinalis:

Link to previous post on Saponaria officinalis:

Just before going over the edge of the falls, the creek has carved potholes in the sandstone bedrock. 

A view of Williamsport Falls.  Due to the lack of rain all year, I expected the falls to be completely dry but there was about as much water flow as you'd usually see this time of year.  During a bitter cold winter this can turn into a huge icicle.

Williamsport Falls is in Warren County and is right in the middle of the town of Williamsport.

Link to Willamsport Falls:

Pictures taken June 20, 2012.

Flash Flood in Happy Hollow Ravine

The month of June 2012 has been very dry in West Lafayette, and the main ravine at Happy Hollow Park has been completely dry most of the month.  After no rain all month, about 2/3 inch of rain fell the evening of June 16.  The next morning of June 17 about 9 am the excess water that ran off of the ground reached the ravine and flow was briefly restored.  Here you can follow the stream as it flows down the ravine.  The last movie was taken while looking down from a small footbridge near the park picnic grounds.  This aboveground flow only reached a short distance beyond this point and the creek remained dry all the way to the Wabash.

This creek is dry a lot of the time and it's got water in it a lot of the time but I've never seen it starting up like this before.