Hogtown Creek

C, Maica, Fletcher and I went walking this morning in Ring Park. The park is one of quite a few Gainesville City Parks. Back in the 1850's Hogtown was a settlement in the area that is Gainesville today. It was never incorporated as a town and was annexed by the town of Gainesville back in 1961. The creek is a watershed for the area and plays a vital role in Gainesville's ecology. It ultimately flows into the aquifer from which Gainesville draws it's drinking water. The Creek is famous for the many shark's teeth found in the shallow sands. Sadly, 'Over searching' for the teeth has caused problems for the environment. Creek banks are trampled and erosion is an issue. Also large holes are left in the creek bottom and the stirred-up sediment compromises the water quality. Water quality is also an ongoing issue. Gainesville's old sewer system runs under portions of the Creek and can leak sewage, also stormwater runoff drains into the Creek in some areas. Although the water quality is closely monitored, high levels of bacteria have been reported. So even though we are tempted to enjoy the cool, shallow waters, it's probably best to look but don't touch!