Ron's visit with SWFS Group at the San Pedro River

Over our 2003 Spring Break, I was invited to be a guest leader on the Earlham College Southwest Field Studies Off-Campus Study Group. My portion of the trip was to focus on the outstanding Basin and Range geology of southeastern Arizona with particular emphasis on the water quality and quantity issues facing the San Pedro River Watershed. Having never been in SE Arizona, I was at a bit of a loss as to what I should actually do. I had in mind tripartite field trip experience to 1.) look at the bedrock "container" 2.) the alluvial fan / fluvial terrace system filling the "bowl" and 3.) the ground water / surface water system flowing through the bowl and sediment plumbing system. By a stroke of luck I got a hold of Jim Mahoney at the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) and Jim, along with other members of the Bureau of Land Management Tucson Field Office in Sierra Vista, AZ (Dan Moore, Lorena Moore, John Sottilaire and Jack Whetstone) proceeded to give the SWFS students, the SWFS leaders and myself a fabulous first-hand experience with the San Pedro. The photos here are a running chronicle of my trip starting (yawn) with my aerial shots flying into Tucson, followed by an excursion into the basin during (purportedly) rare precipitation events - including sleet, hail and snow followed by trips to various places within the San Pedro catchment.

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	Copyright, 2003, Ronald L. Parker Last Modified April 7, 2003