The Rio Grande

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member
At 18:15 today the Rio Grande was flowing at a rate of 0.41cfs. I hope someone can tell me if that is a strong trickle or just barely a trickle? What a shame to see it once again within an eyelash of being totally dry and now all we can do is sit back and hope that the upcoming monsoon season will produce some rain.

I did cast some smart weed and wild millet seeds on the last day of season. Maybe if we get some rain to germinate them and then get really lucky to have some good rains later so that the river will flow again, things will pay off for this upcoming duck season.

This picture was taken two days ago when it was flowing at 18 cfs.
Al

As you can see the river is only a few inches deep. The four wheelers are already running up and down the river bed looking for holes where there might be some catfish that have no way to escape.

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Our ten day forecast: Today was 103F, 98F, 97F, 100F, 101F, 101F, 96F, 94F, 95F, and 95F. Like a friend once said, "I don't care how dry the heat is, it is still 103F and that's HOT!

Our state flower, the Yucca. This picture was taken at the north end of the White Sands Missile Base right off Hwy 380, that goes into Roswell.

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On a much brighter note, I had peach juice running down both sides of my mouth today when I decided to eat one of the peaches I picked off our tree. Oh, Lord, was it ever good.

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This is what the 15 mile stretch of highway looks like. The highway is as straight as an arrow.

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I was just coming back from delivering one of these tykes. I met a customer half ways. Out here sometimes that is necessary.

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This is just 45 miles east of us. I was just entering the Tularosa Valley which is at the far northern section of the Chihuahuan high desert region. Some great elk and mule deer country.

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One last shot. When you live out here in this environment, you don't run to town to pick up a half gallon of milk.

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Great shots and nice peaches Al. I have a couple of little peach trees, and they grow beautiful peaches. Unfortunately for me, the squirrels are quick on the draw and clean me out every year before I get to eat any.
 
Wish we could run a hose to you place Al, the Mississippi at La Crosse is a couple tenths over flood stage and running at 130,000 cfs. This is the third time it's been near or over flood stage this year.
And ya really hurt me with "the juice running down your cheeks" line. This past winter and a fungal disease (brown rot) really did a number on our tree this year, not one blossom. I'm really going to miss the side trips to pick a fresh one to eat on my way across the yard.

Take care,
George
 
Always enjoy your post Al. Maybe you should come visit Florida and cool off. That's some heat you are having out there. Honestly we're not far behind temperature wise. Jeff
 
Beautiful country!
I sure wish I could send you some of the rain we are getting.
You sure need it, we surely don't need any more.
 
Pretty sad to see Al, a once mighty river reduced to nothing. Here is a pic of the South Fork of the Rio Grande near the headwaters at Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado. Intersection of Hwy 160 and 380 (Demijohn Rd.). Beautiful country. Pic was taken on May 20th, the first day of a 3 week camping trip to the west with my Granddaughter.


 
Al, man those peaches have my mouth watering. geat pictures. By the way retirements good, I'm in Noth Dakota for the summer and fall.
Plenty of rhubarb growing which I would trade for the peaches..LOL
 
Great shots and nice peaches Al. I have a couple of little peach trees, and they grow beautiful peaches. Unfortunately for me, the squirrels are quick on the draw and clean me out every year before I get to eat any.
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We were very lucky this year, Greg, to get any peaches at all. The problem is that the weather in the spring gets so nice in February and March, then the trees go into their heavy blossoms time. This past spring, since we have two types of Elberta peaches one bloomed prior to the other. The first one got hit by a pretty heavy frost and only 3 peaches made it. The other one has the branches about to break.
Al
 
Wish we could run a hose to you place Al, the Mississippi at La Crosse is a couple tenths over flood stage and running at 130,000 cfs. This is the third time it's been near or over flood stage this year.
And ya really hurt me with "the juice running down your cheeks" line. This past winter and a fungal disease (brown rot) really did a number on our tree this year, not one blossom. I'm really going to miss the side trips to pick a fresh one to eat on my way across the yard.


Take care,
George
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George, I sure wished that we could take you up on that. I am wondering if some day, not too far into the future, if something won't be done when there is a heavy run off in the springtime or when there are extremes in weather conditions like we are now seeing. I have often wondered why a pipeline wasn't built from Minnesota to Texas, so that they could get any excess water from Lake Superior. In turn, the Texans would trade gas products to the Minnesotans for the water they get. The water wars have already begun here in the southwest so I figure that they will expand into other regions as time goes along.
Sorry to hear about the brown rot, George. I noticed some sap coming out of the trunk not too long ago on our first tree that we planted. Looks like it is on its way out,also.
Al
 
Always enjoy your post Al. Maybe you should come visit Florida and cool off. That's some heat you are having out there. Honestly we're not far behind temperature wise. Jeff
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Thank you, Jeff. I can guarantee you that I would not be able to withstand the humidity that you have to endure during this time of the year.
Al
 
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Beautiful country!
I sure wish I could send you some of the rain we are getting.
You sure need it, we surely don't need any more.
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Hey, Carl. We sure would take it. Last evening as a couple was walking out of the house with a pup that they just bought, I could smell smoke in the air. The forest fires in Arizona are raging and the smoke was easily seen.
I talked with a farmer and his family while having a breakfast burrito yesterday morning and he was telling me that it was so dry at 4:00AM, that they could not bale hay. It always looks so strange out here when you can see the lights from the farm equipment running out in the fields at that time of the day. It is the only time they can bale so that the leaves will stay on the stalk of the alfalfa plant.
Al
 
I sure liked that picture, Pete. Found myself staring at all that water----just wishing---

I took this picture yesterday morning of the Rio Grande,which is now Flat Lining on the flow charts that I look at on my computer. It always reminds me of the tv shows or movies when in the ER room. Not much to say when all you see are zeroes. 0.00 cfs
Al

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Al, man those peaches have my mouth watering. geat pictures. By the way retirements good, I'm in Noth Dakota for the summer and fall.
Plenty of rhubarb growing which I would trade for the peaches..LOL
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John,
I'm glad you are now living that dream that you had for so long in your life. Good for you. By the way, I have a friend of mine who lives in the Green Bay, WI area, tell me all about his wife's strawberry/rhubarb pie. That is one plant that I wished we had growing in the garden. Sure sounds good to me. In fact, I think I'll have to investigate a little to see if it would be possible. Out here when you add water to the desert sand, almost anything will grow and grow well.
Al
 
Al:
Great Photos as always.
Thanks, Enjoy the Summer
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Thanks so much, Dave. I sure will enjoy this summer. Just think, the days are now getting shorter, which means that duck season is just around the corner----well, maybe a long corner!
Al
 
Hi Al -

Hearing the reports of Phoenix high temps every day, I was thinking you must be getting dried up again.

Hope you get much needed rain !

sarge
 
Jeesh, the rio grande is gone!

I bet when you get a summer thunderstorm, it'll come right back to life......

I hope so at least.


Is the salt content pretty high on it, since so much of it evaporates?
 
Al, Not to rub it in but I am now in Fargo and it is raining buckets. There isn't a person here that wouldn't give you all the water you could want. At home in the cities it is wet but up here in the Red River Valley it is everywhere. The wind blew 20+ for the last couple days and now it is raining. REALLY?
 
Hi Al -

Hearing the reports of Phoenix high temps every day, I was thinking you must be getting dried up again.

Hope you get much needed rain !

sarge
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Hey, Sarge! Those sweltering temps have been coming eastward from Phoenix for over a week now. Yesterday it got up to 106F here. Let's hope this is a prelude to the monsoon season which should start around the 4th of July.
I hope all is well with you.
Al
 
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