Day 30

Water? In the desert? Of course!  We desert dwellers get totally psyched whenever clouds form. And, when it finally rains - in torrents, drizzles, or softly falling for a few minutes or hours at a time - we are out in it. Many of us, exploring for waterfalls, unexpected pools that may give birth to desert pupfish, rocks that weep, and creeks that may run for days - sometimes weeks if the rains are long and hard enough.  I love hiking in the washes after it settles down to see what changes have taken place. New boulder barricades. Cultural relics unearthed. Mysteries under the sand are revealed.

The next cool thing that happens is how things spring to life - immediately.  In fact, when the air is heavy with moisture, threatening to open the heavens and flood the washes with a deluge, you can almost see the cacti and succulents stand a bit taller - swelling upwards in anticipation of a much needed drink. It could have been months and months and months since their last sip. Within hours, buds appear and fresh color dots the landscape. Rich patinas on the rocks show sagey greens, deep rusts, chartreuse, golds as the rainwater paints their rugged surfaces.

The life out here has adapted to the unpredictability in amazing ways - unlike us humans...

And speaking of humans, there is much talk lately of an LA based company preparing to "mine" our desert groundwater tables for purposes that have nothing to do with the lives up here. The short side of this story is that this particular company will "mine groundwater faster than nature has time to refill it.......and sell it to urban areas........".

You can read the details by clicking this link: Cadiz, Inc plans to mine California desert's groundwater

Makes me wonder, if this is successful, what will we do for water seeing how WE live HERE. Even worse, what will happen to the fragile life that exists here now? Questions to ponder long before it's too late......

(Copyright Diana Shay Diehl. Rattlesnake Canyon/JTNP)

Comments

Unknown said…
There will come a day when water, not oil, will be what starts wars.
January 31, 2012
Diana said…
Thanks for reading Karine. Yes, I've certainly heard that before...
February 02, 2012
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