Fort Hays State University > Big Creek from Gustad Drive Bridge, Hays, Kansas by Ron Schott

Canon EOS 550D (T2i)

GigaPan Epic100 (2nd generatio...

Often during the summer Big Creek at this location will dry up and only mudcracks will mark its channel, but last night we had some good thunderstorms, so the creek is alive an well today. Big Creek is a meandering creek on the Great Plains of western Kansas. Historic Fort Hays was establised just a mile or so downstream in 1865 and operated until 1889. In 1902, Fort Hays State University was established in the floodplain of Big Creek at this location. In May 1951, a spring deluge caused Big Creek to flood a wide area around campus and downtown Hays. Subsequently, the course of Big Creek was relocated and a large levee was constructed between the new course of the creek and the campus and downtown region. The pictured stretch of creek is just at the beginning of the diversionary stretch, thus was significantly disturbed within the last 60 years. At least four fish jumped while I was shooting the GigaPan; none, of course, were captured in the image. -- Ron Schott