Yes, there's a river in Tucson. In fact, there are two of them. This, one, the Rillito and the Santa Cruz. Most of the time, both of them look like this.
This is a view of the Rillito. That name cracks me up. The Rillito River. Translated from Spanish, that means 'Little River River.' Most Tucsonans just say 'The Rillito.' 'Cause we're just smart like that. We aren't redundant. You know, we don't repeat ourselves. Over and over again.
OK...I'll stop now.
Back to the Rillito. You can tell water does occasionally actually run in this river because of all the big, old cottonwood trees you will see on it's banks.
And the mesquite trees grow much larger than they do out on the desert. And thicker. Closer together. Redundant. Repetitive. That's called a Mesquite Bosque. Bosque means 'woods.'
Talk about big. Take a look at this beauty!
I'm telling you, it's B.I.G.!
Someday, I want to go back with a tape measure and measure the circumference of this monster. I should do it soon, because I bet, right now, it's turned all yellow and orange. It's December, which means 'autumn' has come to the desert.
We will get, hopefully, some winter rains, but nothing will change the way this river looks...just dry. Bone dry. Desert dry.
However.
Once in a while, during our 'Monsoon' season (July-August), something incredible happens.
Those two rivers are fed by hundreds, probably thousands, of gullies and washes and arroyos like these.
And watch out, Buddy!
This is coming straight from Mt. Lemmon. It's Sabino Creek which feeds into The Rillito and helps turn it into a BIG little river.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4qb4u5sR3g&feature=related
This next video is of the Santa Cruz...which everything winds up in...even The Rillito.
This is what happened after a couple of really heavy Monsoon seasons. I was on the river bank one day during the earlier one. That usually dry riverbed became a monster of massive proportions!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7iJhLUflGk
A week or so later, after the sun has done it's work, it looks just like this again.
We're GRATEFUL for our rivers.
Even if they are dry most of the time.
5 comments:
Makes me grateful for the Chemung River which flows through Elmira...has at least some water all the time.
I prefer it when it is not raging, in the Spring the snow and ice melts off the hills, plus we get the Spring rains. It brings the river up the flood dikes pretty high and mighty.
...fortunately, except for the flood of 1972, I have not seen it flood over right here
...and then it actually was said to be from a dam that had given way upstream.
Our river is absolutely a joy to me when I see it day to day...yet rarely do I ever get close enough to actually touch the water
...perhaps it is about time grandson and I spend more time close to its actual area...there is a boat launch area now where it has accessable walking trails along its edge.
(But not likely until it is lots warmer than it was today! Today I went from house to car and car to destination...no lolly gaggin in between.)
I would hate to be hiking in that dry ravine when your rainwater decided to come through...looks like it would be large enough I likely would not get out of there in time.
Joan, I remember that beautiful river from when we visited you. Sometimes, it just doesn't seem fair that we have only 'dry' rivers. LOL And yes, quite often, people who choose to ignore all the warnings get caught in those washes and ravines and dont make it out. It is so sad when that happens. You just don't need to fool around with Ma Nature!
when i lived in Cerrillos NM we had a river kind of like the Rillito. sometimes it had water in it but most of the year it looked dry. actually the water went underground where you couldn't see it. like it was hiding out so that it wouldn't evaporate in the sun LOL.
Dawn,
Arizona does have some rivers that also run underground. It's really odd to be walking along and suddenly, the water disappears and then later, reappears. Mama Nature playing hide and seek with the sun! I like your idea! LOL
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