Today's science lab with the CCMN was in nearby Palominas. The water recharge station is behind the old elementary school. A 1.7-mile walking loop is on that property. I've taken the dogs there on winter hikes.
The 3000 acres behind the old school was initially reserved for a housing development, but the land developer went bankrupt. The land is in a flood zone and nearby homes, most with livestock, would flood. It makes sense that the county took that land and turned it into a recharge area.
The lecture was interesting, but I had trouble today standing in the heat without feeling light-headed. Was I dehydrated and weak from lack of food? I don't know, but I felt much better hours later after having lunch in town.
We never did walk down to the river from the recharge station because too many people in the class have mobility issues. Instead, we drove to E Waters Drive to start our walk to the river, the same area where Susan and I would take our dogs to walk the river.
The field that was charred in the April 3 Williams fire has regrown! Yellow San Pedro matchweed has now taken over the field! This field once was taken over by sunflowers.
The group didn't walk much from the river, but I joined Gordon and his wife Lori and Kate for a short walk along the river going north. All three are passionate birders and were able to identify the Gila woodpecker and yellow tanager simply by their sounds. I need to work on my bird calls!
The river was very low. The area Susan and I used to visit with Minnie ("Minnie's hole") was no longer full of swimmable water. A narrow stretch of trickling water is all we have now in the same area Minnie used to swim in three years ago. Our monsoon this year was very disappointing.
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