Rain-renewed creeks in South Bay bring joy to hikers
SANTA CRUZ -- Thanks to recent storms, creeks flowing in the Santa Cruz Mountains are once again an impressive sight.
So far this December, Uvas Canyon County Park, east of the Santa Cruz Mountains, received nearly 14 inches of rain.
Lydia Ramos and her cycling group spent the day making a special trip through the park.
"I'm dressed for warmth and, around the creek, it's really cold," Ramos said. "It's beautiful! It's really beautiful and a lot of water!"
Ramos was greeted by the sounds and sights of cascading water all around the park.
"It's quite amazing," Ramos said. "I haven't seen green in so long and so much water in the creek for so long. I'm just loving it."
Her fellow cyclist Craig Gronlund was here last month and he said the creeks then were down to a trickle.
"I heard they got five inches in a 24-hour period so I kind of want to check out the water," Gronlund said.
Gronlund said it's a big difference and a welcome sight to see the fast-moving flows again.
Last weekend's storm brought much-needed rain to the region. Uvas Reservoir rose more than 20 feet from our last storm.
"We need a lot more but, I think, we got a good downpour up here," Gronlund said.
"I don't know what the weather holds for the next few weeks," Ramos said. "I would like to see more of this, to see the water rushing more and to give us a good water base so we can get out of this drought."
With the month of December off to a good start, Ramos and Gronlund hope there is much more rain to come.
