Sabino Creek In Sabino Canyon — Images by kenne
We are children
of the canyon,
enthralled
by nature’s beauty.
Once hearing
the sound of water
rushing over rocks
and around boulders,
carrying the spirit
of the mountains,
we are drawn to
its siren call —
becoming
children of Achelous.
kenne
“Where The Water Runs Dry” — Images by kenne
— kenne
Sunset Over The Lake — Image by kenne
Water Over The Dam (Lake Woodlands Dam) — Image by kenne
— kenne
Male (Drake) Mallard Duck Near The River Shore
The Drake Preening Himself.
The Female Mallard Is Not Following, But Is In Hot Pursuit. — Images By kenne
Missing The Connection — Image by kenne
I held you high
Above the river waters,
A marker for all to see.
Together we marked
The changing waters,
Always flowing.
Now you are gone,
Missing the connection
I dream of our yesterdays.
kenne
Looking east from the Peloncillo Mountains over the Lordsburg Playa. — Image by kenne
The Lordsburg Playa is a large alkaline lake that contains deposits of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate and chloride. It is considered a good example of a mineral soil flat wetland, which are barren, generally dry, flat, and undrained. The Sky Island Alliance classifies the area unworthy of any conservation effort except that an important aquatic arthropod assemblage survives there and flourishes when the playa holds water.
Surrounding the flats is a zone of vegetation in strongly alkaline soil that is not diverse but contains some rare plant species worthy of conservation efforts. The greatest threat to this community is grazing, since the vegetation that grows there can tap water resources throughout the year.
kenne
Roadrunner On Patio Wall In Tucson– Image by kenne
Running water sounds
A call to all living things
Happy hour on the patio.
kenne
(Click On Gallery Image For Larger View)
kenne
Artist Along Sabino Creek In Sabino Canyon, April, 2011 — Image by kenne
Sabino Canyon Dam — Image by kenne
Tucson Basin — Image by kenne
The Tucson groundwater recharge basin is located west of Tucson, which uses the natural basin located between two north-south mountain ranges on the Hohokam Indian Reservation. Most of the water used in the Tucson area comes from the ground and is now recharged by water from the Colorado River.
West of Tucson, in the Central Avra Valley’s natural basin, 11 recharge basins have been dug into the sandy ground. On any given day, at least some of them will be sparkling with deep blue water. Tucson sits atop an enormous reserve of groundwater, so the water in these basins flows down to “recharge” the underground aquifer. However, area water needs consume more than the annual rainfall provides to recharge the basin. The city turned to the Colorado River several hundred miles away in its search for more water. For $4 billion, Tucson helped build the Central Arizona Canal in 1973, connecting the river to Phoenix, Tucson, and other cities.
The Colorado River water flows into the basins and trickles down through the porous subsurface, mixing with the native groundwater before pumps delivered the hybrid water into homes. This way, the corrosive river water is filtered and diluted with the existing groundwater, making it palatable with Tucson residents’ standards.
The Hohokam people settled here in the Central Avra Valley of the Sonoran Desert because of the many rivers crossing through the basin. In the mid-1850s, the entire valley was a forest of mesquite trees, with cottonwoods, willows, and walnuts along the major streams. Much of the area was marshy, and malaria was a major problem for the original Fort Lowell along the Santa Cruz River. Today these rivers run dry but continue to flow underground. Without other water sources to help recharge the natural basin, the water level declines in riparian areas will change the ecology and cut the quality of the habitat provided by phreatophytic vegetation. Much work and conservation are needed to ensure the people and vegetation of the Sonoran Desert have the necessary water to maintain the water level. Otherwise, declines in riparian areas can change nature and cut the quality of the habitat provided by phreatophytic vegetation. With the continued loss of riparian habitat in the Tucson Basin, preservation of riparian habitat becomes increasingly critical. Water is an enormous benefactor to life in the Tucson Water Basin and the rest of the world. As inhabitants of this great desert, we must realize the importance of living in true harmony with the desert.
When you arise in the morning,
give thanks for the morning light,
give thanks for your nourishment
and the joy of living
If you see no reason for giving thanks,
the fault lies in yourself.
— kenne
Related articles
Safe & Well Pump — Image by kenne
In the old west,
Power was obtained
With money and water —
Not unlike today.
kenne
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