I sampled aquatic insects for two years as part of a research study for the National Park Service, but the sampling period occurred during a drought and there was rarely water in the creek.  A month after we stopped sampling, a massive flood ripped through the creek:

Rincon Creek, after the flood

This flood uprooted hundred year old trees (notice all the exposed tree roots to the lower left), significantly widened and straightened the creekbed, and wiped out the USGS stream gauge entirely.  Impressive, though it would have been nice for this to happen during our study so there was actually some water…  :)

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