During three visits across March and April I watched the soils dry and then turn green. Failures and channel migration slowed to a crawl despite several high(er) water events that refilled Iron Gate and to a smaller extent, Copco. See the combined Timelapse videos from the end of February through April 14.
Construction access forced me to move CP01 on March 25th. It now looks downstream at at a couple gravel bars just downstream of a bedrock pinch point. For ease of viewing the two weeks after moving the camera was removed from this post.
The pool at the downstream end of Iron Gate experienced several periods of expansion and contraction driving small failures in the lower reservoir immediately following re-exposure.
Copco reservoir also experience a small pool refill event but it did not extend upstream to any of the other cameras.
Here's the videos:
CP01:
Copco experiences it first refill event although only CP01 captured it, meaning it likely did not extend very far upstream.
CP02:
CP03:
The bend here is still remarkably active, with the channel migrating further into the bend and the bank failing throughout much of period. High flow events appear to drive increased bank failure activity. Note the grasses getting taller in the lower left image!
CP04:
The bend here is largely stable except for some small bank failures along the tributaries. The river is likely in its historic location here, evidenced by the dead standing trees on the outside of the bend.
And at Iron Gate:
IG01:
IG02:
IG03:
The left bank just downstream of the bend experiences several failures as the pool contracts and re-exposes the sediments.
IG04:
IG05:
Below are some stills from the days out.
Incision at Camp Creek and evidence of mechanical removal of sediment.
Moving IG01 with Chloe and its view.
Jenny Creek from Copco Rd. bridge on April 15. The channel has been mechanically moved to the left and the delta graded to the level of the reservoir. Previously, the channel had been running toward image right along the exposed gravels still visible there.
Downstream of CP03 on April 15. Note greenery!
Beaver Creek entering Copco reservoir with lots of new growth! April 15th
All of a sudden there's only two more trips down to the Klamath for me. It'll be nice to have all that time to put towards writing and thinking but I'll miss being down there in person!
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