The City of Frederick dredged a creek on an east-west line through the center of the city. Without this critical drainage point, named Carroll Creek, which is beautiful to walk beside, the city would be in pretty big trouble every time a hard rain came through.

Even so, the streets lead straight to the creek. During a modest rain, the creek can fill up quite high, and the fields in Baker park become flooded and turn into water parks for ducks.

The waters ran high today. I can only imagine what chemicals, gasoline, oils, and fertilizers, have all drained into this creek.

I doubt it’ll ever be clean enough to swim in. Yet folks swim in it anyway.

I would like to see the city engage in more rainwater gardens to slow down the mad torrents that come crashing down the streets.