Sierra Blanca Canyon Wash:
Jim'sWillow
Spring Photo Tour & Comparisons
Note:
we do not have many image-comparisons prepared here (though we do have one pair
which is quite interesting and important). As time permits, we will scan more
old video images to get a fuller set of comparisons (and, of course, continue
making more precise ones in the future).
The
Route from SBSpring Confluence to Jim'sWillow Spring:
(Note: The images below that contain "1995" ID's are incorrect -- the
true dates of those images are 1997, an unfortunate camera error.)
No.
01
Below: looking
downstream, from the right bank at the SB Spring
Wash confluence with SB Canyon Wash:
..
At
almost the center of the left-hand image above, you can see a tiny
brown pyramid. The image on the right shows a close-up of this pyramid,
which indicates how high the latest flood deposited debris on the small tree in
the center of the floodplain.
No. 02
Below:
looking downstream, just beyond the rock outcrop
on the left side of these images is the mouth of the first left-bank sidewash
downstream from the SBS confluence. The central tree is the first willow growing
below the confluence. (Some young juniper trees may also be seen here.)
Feb. 1996 ...................and............ Mar. 1997
and
and 
No.
03
This is located about 100 yards
downstream from the first willow (above), looking downstream toward a second
willow:
Feb. 1996 ...................and............
Mar. 1997
and 
No.
03a
This is located on the right
bank and just downstream from the rock outcrop shown in #3 still looking downstream):
No. 04
At
the end of the downstream straightaway shown just above, rock outcrops
on the left and right stand just upstream from the entry of the first right-bank
sidewash:
No. 05
This
right-bank side wash is marked by a large monolith splitting the mouth:
No.
05a
looking Upstream; .................
looking downstream
...
Note
the rock outcrop running into the floodplain in the right-hand photo above;
this is a stone's throw above photostation #06, below.
No.
06
Below left, downstream toward the
willows of Jim'sWillow Spring -- both the left bank willow (foreground) and the
right bank willow (behind it) are visible; center, a pool beside the left-bank
willow; right, viewing the right-bank willow from downstream:
Below:
view of Jim'sWillow Springs from above & downstream, looking upstream: in
lower-center, whitened rocks mark the narrows shown in Photostation #07:
No.
07
Jim'sWillow
Spring:
March 1997
....................... and............................. March
2003 (Click on each image to enlarge it.)
.and
Both photographs above are looking downstream, and
both show the same Cascabel Formation bedrocks at this point in the wash. The
Big Pool of Jim'sWillow Spring is visible in both photos, but the Big Cottonwood
downstream from the Pool (visible in the left photo with its fallen-trunk
"arch" showing almost exactly in the center of the photograph in the
distance) is no longer visible, concealed by a veritable grove of Willow trees,
some reaching 15-20 feet high. These are now catching large amounts of flood debris.
Below
left: February 2004, following the intrusion of bulls
& cows; below right, October 2005.These are
taken from somewhat different positions, but you can see anyway some recovery
of vegetation in the photo at right. (Click on each image
to enlarge it.)
.....
Some
may find interesting this set of images showing the Spring pool close-up,
fromMarch 2003, February 2004, and October 2005: (Click
on each image to enlarge it.)
,,,,,
This
October 2005 image is taken standing in the bottom of the pool itself (now
dry, but with seepage occurring in the rock at upstream right, out of view):
No.
08
Below left: March 2003, looking downstream
by cottonwood, before bulls & cows; below right: February 2004,
after bulls & cows; (Click on each image to enlarge
it.)
.....
Below:
October 2005 (the big cottonwood now appears to be dead -- see the image at
right) (Click on each image to enlarge it.)
.....
No.
09
Downstream from the Hunters Camp
Trailhead, looking upstream:
May
30, 1990 .............. and ............ September 14, 2002
and
The
image on the left was taken at the height of dry season, the one on the
right shortly after late rains (during which the wash flooded heavily).
The distribution of deer grass looks very similar in the two photos -- this location
is a strongly "degrading" slope of streambed, but note that one of the
large saguaros in the upper right quadrant of the left-hand photo has disappeared
during the 12 year interval.
Looking downstream, a
still-lower Willow is visible:
Summary
#s 06 through 09: from SBS Hill (right bank), looking downstream in November
2002 (Hunters Camp Trail shown in black dashes at upper right):
