A History of Fox and Nice Creeks (1950-Present)
1950s
City builds dam for domestic water on Fox Creek at stream mile 1.5
City, school district channel Fox Creek into 300-foot culvert at school site, build playing field
1973
Fox Creek floods elementary school site
1974?
City installs 450 feet of culvert to carry Fox Creek between C Street and Highway 30
1986
City installs 900 feet of culvert to carry Nice Creek through parkland fill to Columbia River
1986
City and Corps of Engineers install 550 feet of culvert to carry Fox Creek from railroad to river
1995
November: Fox Creek floods school site, ruins gymnasium floor
1996
February: Fox Creek floods school site, Highway 30 and city park
1996
August: Rainier School District daylights 300 feet of Fox Creek at elementary school site
2001
Corps/City daylight 550 feet of Fox Creek between railroad and river
2001
City moves to extend A Street through park, improve West 6th Street, develop park plan, build senior center, connect to private senior housing project
2001
Friends of Fox Creek urges City to design 6th Street roadway to avoid filling open stretch of Nice Creek and allow possible future daylighting of the creek through the city park
2002
City agrees to FFC’s requests amid clamor for access roads to proposed senior center
2005
Corps/City stabilize Fox Creek banks near mouth and re-vegetate with native plants
2005
FFC and City fail to dissuade Longview Fibre from logging 62-acre forest on Nice Creek until funding can be acquired to purchase the plot for a forest park. Fibre sells standing forest to logger and underlying land to developer.
2006
Nice Creek forest is logged and housing development is planned
2007
December: Fox Creek floods part of school site (now Riverside Community Church land)
