Agreed that the creeks in the area are diamonds in the rough.
It would be nice to see Second Creek daylighted where it flows under World's Fair Park. Other cities and towns are daylighting their creeks and streams, rescuing them from becoming little more than storm water sewers.
Second Creek was buried in concrete tunnels from Asylum Avenue south to the old Atlantic Ice plant at the viaduct and Main some 80 years prior to the World's Fair when the L&N built a railroad yard over it. When Main and Cumberland were consolidated during World's Fair construction under the Southern Railroad (now NS) viaduct that portion of Second Creek that briefly appeared again by Atlantic Ice was buried as well, re-emerging south of Cumberland.
First Creek too should be daylighted and landscaped in the downtown area. I notice that where it escapes its concrete tomb near the Knoxville & Holston railroad trestle, next to Ruth's Chris restaurant, there's a small waterfall effect due to the difference in elevation between the concrete section and the "natural" mouth at the Tennessee River. This elevation is enough to prevent fish from migrating back and forth from the river and up the creek as they do now with Third Creek.
The small tributary of Third Creek that parallels West High School on one side and the trail on the other side has some interesting fish in the pools between the exposed shale.
On a positive note, at least the World's Fair resulted in Second Creek being cleaned up and partly landscaped between Cumberland and the river. And the Third Creek trails are nice.
Does any other city name their creeks in this type of sequential order, from First through Fourth Creeks?
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TomB writes:
Agreed that the creeks in the area are diamonds in the rough.
It would be nice to see Second Creek daylighted where it flows under World's Fair Park. Other cities and towns are daylighting their creeks and streams, rescuing them from becoming little more than storm water sewers.
Second Creek was buried in concrete tunnels from Asylum Avenue south to the old Atlantic Ice plant at the viaduct and Main some 80 years prior to the World's Fair when the L&N built a railroad yard over it. When Main and Cumberland were consolidated during World's Fair construction under the Southern Railroad (now NS) viaduct that portion of Second Creek that briefly appeared again by Atlantic Ice was buried as well, re-emerging south of Cumberland.
First Creek too should be daylighted and landscaped in the downtown area. I notice that where it escapes its concrete tomb near the Knoxville & Holston railroad trestle, next to Ruth's Chris restaurant, there's a small waterfall effect due to the difference in elevation between the concrete section and the "natural" mouth at the Tennessee River. This elevation is enough to prevent fish from migrating back and forth from the river and up the creek as they do now with Third Creek.
The small tributary of Third Creek that parallels West High School on one side and the trail on the other side has some interesting fish in the pools between the exposed shale.
On a positive note, at least the World's Fair resulted in Second Creek being cleaned up and partly landscaped between Cumberland and the river. And the Third Creek trails are nice.
Does any other city name their creeks in this type of sequential order, from First through Fourth Creeks?
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.