When going back home, I asked myself what place close to my house would I like to explore since gaining the knowledge from NR1010. One block from my house is the resting place of Waterworks Park, a unique and quaint area of rest compared to the suburban land around it. Despite the brook running through it, copious resting spots for local wildlife, and the vast amount of trees, I never bothered to really observe the landscape. I’ve gone there since I was little, but I knew that this week was the ideal time to really get to know the area.
I took this picture while sitting down on the ground next to the water. This is one of the wider parts of the brook in the park. I estimate it stretches about 15 feet wide and about a foot at it’s deepest depth.
I can’t quite compare this to my area at Rock Point however. There’s no stream, brook, or creek in my area, but there is a man made pipe that causes water to flow nearby. (Previously mentioned in my last posts)
Similar to Rock Point though, my observed location at Waterworks has evidence of manmade structures in the area. The most obvious one are the nearby houses, but when looking closely, I noticed this concrete wall placed just under the water.
I know this stream was artificially altered recently, attested to the small rock dam (image below), but I can only assume that this wall was once a sort of damn that become obsolete after a storm or basic weathering.
I wanted to make note on the species that could be spotted in the park.
The only animals that I saw during my time at Waterworks was a broad-winged hawk, a few eastern grey squirrels, and I head a cardinal in a nearby tree. I can safely assume most animals either hibernating or migrated for the winter.
The tree species were a little more difficult to identify. Other than the overwhelming amount of oaks in the area, there were a few sycamore, Bradford’s pear, and aspens in the area. Bradford’s pears are very common in Pennsylvania, usually used to line neighborhoods. However, I wish they weren’t because when they bloom they smell horrible.
As per the future of Waterworks park, I think it’ll stay as a great nearby area of wildlife for generations to come. It’s not vulnerable to flooding, nor is it going to be clear cut since it’s protected by the borough of Collegeville. For a very long time, there’s been youth soccer games, yard sales, Easter egg hunts, and so many more family events taking place in the park. I know it’s brought me joy, and I’m sure it’s done the same for others.