Watershed Aerial Survey

[SBitz]

Monday (March 6) we flew some of the Santa Ynez River looking at reservoir water levels and favorite swimming spots, and along the South slope of the Santa Ynez Mountains (aka "front range") checking out waterfalls and more swimming spots. For others curious about drought indicators or contemplating drives & hikes, here are some pix. I've sent a couple to Edhat in case they'd like to publish them, and will probably post a few more in this Topic as time permits.

[SBitz]

Somehow despite trying we've not yet hiked to this spot we often admire from the air. If you know how to reach it (if on public land), please share. To my surprise it seems to always have at least some running water. Even in the deepest depths of drought when all else is dust, there's a trickle here inviting a visit.


To my surprise (not having checked the levels in Shasta Guy's SBitZ links post), Gibraltar Lake is relatively high.


Red Rock looks glorious at first glance, but it's a stagnant pool in the dry riverbed.


I've long been fascinated by the old concrete bridge on the road that's normally far beneath the gentle waves of Lake Cachuma.


The level there of course is critically low, so they're talking about setting up the pumping barge again to feed water into the intake tower.


The dam looks almost forlorn, or on life support with the "feeding tube" state water pipe stuck through the open right hand spillway.


The little Alisal by Solvang is closer to full.


This beach and activity area across from the spillway was far from the shore before the rain started.

[SBitz]

It has nothing to do with the watershed, but among the pix I came across this view of "Knapp's Castle" looking so different from the last time we took the short walk out to it.

[SBitz]

Seven Falls is already back down to a trickle. :(

[SBitz]

OMG! I was studying this pic and didn't know what it is. Suddenly I realized it's Tangerine Falls. Then after more looking at it full-resolution I noticed the streaks of moisture in the middle. Only after another minute did I finally realize that's the pool carved out beneath the falls, at the middle of this pic. What had been a green misty garden in the shade where we could dabble in sparkling water, there's now muddy brown water amid bare stone in a stark landscape. There's not the faintest trace of the signature tangerine color where the falls once thundered. Wow.

[SBitz]

Good news at Casa de Maria, with the pool and tennis courts dug out and lots of work on the remaining buildings.

[Section Make8R]

Thank you for pictures!!!  Your plane have blue painted tips on the bottom?  Lots of aircraft been ovehead lately, even the big orange copter making a pass over to Romero.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of the damaged hiking trails.  The way some were scoured flat, it looks like you can just walk right up them, no boulder hopping neccesary, as they are gone, replaced with flat sand and gravel.  (i only checked Romero, and didnt go far up, so my idea may be way off base)

The picture of Casa Maria showed a huge pile of boulders, which  is  again astounding to me,  i heard from (Professor Kellor?)  that the density of the mud is equal to that of the sandstone rocks we have, so the rocks ahve no trouble floating like ping pong balls.  Now that the mud is being removed, its just amazing (and alarming)  to see all the rocks that the mud was carrying within itself, and not just on top.