Sun Through the Trees Near Sabino Creek — Image by kenne
— kenne
Creek Reflections — Computer Art by kenne
— kenne
Dry Times In Sabino Canyon — Images by kenne
These images are near the dam area of Sabino Creek, which has been dry for some time.
“Goodbye — if you hear of my being stood up a
stone wall and shot to rags please know that I think that a
pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease,
or falling down the cellar stairs.”
— Pancho Villa
The monsoon rains bring new life to the Sonoran Desert. This past week has experienced some very good rain fall, especially in the mountains. The start of the monsoon season brings out the Sonoran toads, but they breed in water, and even with the recent rains we have had several months of no rain and Sabino Creek remains dry. The above photo was taken this morning, but based on sighting a few miles up the creek, there maybe water flowing over the dam by night fall.
Down from the dam, there are few pools of water that Jeanne, Dan and I explored this morning and found some toads. The mating season will last only a few days, so with more rain expected today and tomorrow, and with water coming down the creek, the toads will probably be very active the next couple of days.
— kenne
Images by kenne
Sabino Dam in June — Panorama by kenne
— kenne
Sabino Creek Above The Dam — Image by kenne
— kenne
“Spring On The Rocks” (Sabino Creek near the dam.) — Image by kenne
― Anne Spollen, The Shape of Water
Recent rains at the lower levels of the Santa Catalina Mountains and snow on Mt. Lemmon have resulted in Sabino Creek flowing over the low-water bridges in Sabino Canyon. These bridges were built in the 1930’s and are still providing tram access almost four miles into the canyon for visitors.
The current water level is down quite a bit from a week ago when the bridges were all covered entirely by the flowing water, now the over the bridge flow is maintained by the daily snowmelt on Mt. Lemmon.
— kenne
Images by kenne
(Click on any of the images for a larger view in a slideshow format.)
High Water Over Low Water Crossing (Bear Canyon Bridge, January 1, 2017) — Image by kenne
— from Fire and Rain by James Taylor
Winter Rains and High Water Over The Sabino Dam — Image by kenne
Now you see it, now you don’t is a good way of describing water in the desert. Just three weeks ago there was no water coming over the dam in Sabino Canyon. We had about an inch over the weekend with much more up in the mountains that will continue to cause flow over the dam for a while now.
Aster Wildflower In Late Fall — Image by kenne
— kenne
The large cottonwoods, Arizona Sycomore, Ash, Willows common to riparian area along Sabino Creek share their color around the Holiday Season — nature’s gift to our beautiful canyon.
The trail leads through
the towering saguaros,
I search for yellows and reds
near the dry creek.
Leaves in sequence fall
fulfilling the plan
guarded by nature
in fragments of gold.
I stopped to wonder,
not knowing the random
planting in the entrails
of Sabino Canyon.
— kenne
Images by kenne
Hooker’s Evening Primrose (December 12, 2016) — Image by kenne
It has been warmer than average for this time of year.
Except for a few small pools of water, Sabino Creek is dry.
Yet, above the Sabino Dam, a bee and I found this lone
Hooker’s Evening Primrose — a very pleasant surprise.
— kenne
Late Fall In Sabino Canyon Near Sabino Creek — Image by kenne
–Federico García Lorca
Upper Sabino Canyon Panorama — View into Sabino Basin (Morning, November 18, 2016)
West Fork Trail Panorama (Trail to Hatch’s Pool, November 18, 2016)
Upper Sabino Canyon Panorama — View into Sabino Basin (Afternoon, November 18, 2016)
Panoramic Images by kenne
“Sabino Canyon is a treasure, and its greatest jewel may be its biologically rich streamside woodland, Such habitats are endangered ecosystems in the Southwest; only a small fraction have survived the influences of humankind and changing climate in the last century and a half. At least five other important communities of plants and animals are also represented within Sabino Canyon’s walls — in effect, the canyon offers us many of the lowland habitats of the Southwest in microcosm. In a similar way, Sabino Canyon’s history reflects in miniature our own evolving relationship with this remarkable region. The canyon’s easy accessibility adds enormously to its recreational, educational, and scientific value.”
— from Sabino Canyon – The Life of a Southwestern Oasis, by David Wentworth Lazaroff
