Tag: landscape

Stream dynamics.

I have been trying to read water and it’s amazing properties my whole life. This small meander on the San Pedro is full of instruction on a small scale. On the outside of the bend, where water moves fastest, there is a small cut bank where the flow collided with land, leaving a miniature cliff and a dark line of shadow and a step down to reach the water. Opposite the cut bank, where the river channel makes a tighter curve, the water flow slows. On this depositional side of the meander, the slower water drops sediments and sand and stones, and a gently sloped point bar forms. 

The physics of all of this—with it’s momentum equations and integrations and velocity calculations—is mostly more than I can fathom. And none of it is essential to enjoying such a beautiful spot on such a fine day. But sometimes it’s nice to reflect on why there is a pleasant sandy place to stand on my side of the river, and just a sheer drop off and deep water on the other. 

Ruins of the Grand Central stampmill near the Fairbank ghost town. The stepped stone shelves supported giant crushers used to break up silver-bearing ores from mines in Tombstone. During the silver boom years there were dozens of mills processing the Tombstone silver all along the San Pedro River, which was the only source of water for generating steam to drive the machinery. The sound from the mills, which ran continuously day and night, must have been deafening. 

Please click photo for an enlarged view.