upstream, from three gauges at
Presidio: one below the conflu-
ence of the Rio Grande and the
Rio Conchos and one on each
of those tributaries. During these
19 years of record, over 70 per-
cent of the flow through the Big
Bend came from the Rio
Conchos. The gauge on the
upper Rio Grande, toward El
Paso, recorded 41 months with
flows less than 1,000 acre-feet,
which in cluded 30 months with
no measurable flow whatsoever.
There were six consecutive
months in 1900-1901 and seven
consecutive months in 1903-
Map is from Shared Environments, Figure 3.1, page 40.
1904 when there was no meas-
Idealized map of the Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo urable flow in the up stream Rio
showing federal and state protected areas involved in this bination- Grande.
Early explorers regularly
al conservation effort.
reported that they walked the
mis sion for Environmental Co - tutions and organizations from dry stream bed of the river
operation whose effectiveness both sides of the border have between what is now Presidio
has been limited by small budg- been conducting a variety of and McNary. The data cited
ets and lack of power to enforce activities. Binational coopera- above document those observa-
any findings. A separate agree- tion, the participation of diver- tions. As far as the Rio Grande
ment established two sister insti- gent disciplines and the involve- upstream from its confluence
tutions to fund water and envi- ment of riverside human com- with the Rio Conchos is con-
ronmental projects.
munities are key ingredients to cerned, the proper conclusion is
In addition to formal gov- move forward and address con- that the damming of the river in
ernmental institutions, civil servation issues.
New Mexico has only made a
society groups and NGOs have
One criticism I have of this chronic problem permanent.
been critically important in pro- book is that, by necessity, various Only now that the Mexican
moting cooperation for trans- authors focus on the parts of this authorities restrict the flow of
boundary conservation in the complex set of issues that they the Conchos do the Big Bend
border region and beyond. know best, based on their own canyons commonly suffer very
Now, overlaid on all of this, are work and experiences. There low water conditions.
the 2005 REAL ID Act which are a number of disconnects,
Another oversight that I
gave the U.S. Department of and I am reminded of the blind noted is the lack of mention of
Homeland Security authority men who are describing an ele- the even more forgotten reach:
to waive laws as necessary to phant. They accurately describe the Lower Canyons of the Rio
hasten border wall and road what they feel and sense, but Grande extending downstream
construction and the 2006 provide a sometimes misleading from Big Bend National Park to
enact ment of the Secure Fence vision of the whole.
Amistad Reservoir. Here a few
Act. In combination, these laws
One example of this is the ancient populations of plants
have resulted in ecological inadvertent propagation of the and animals still resisted foreign
degradation and the creation of myth that damming of the Rio invaders in the 1970s. Perhaps,
new environmental conflicts in Grande in New Mexico cut off in this comment, I reveal myself
the border region.
significant flow through the can - as one of the blind men who
All this and more is discussed yons of the Big Bend. Chapter once lovingly touched that part
in detail, with multiple exam- three discusses the flow of the of this particular elephant.
Rio Grande, but at El Paso, not
ples, in this book.
I said earlier that I thought
Turning to our backyard, the Big Bend. It is accurate as far as that most of the readers of this
Big Bend, which the authors it goes but fails to consider the book would already be mem-
refer to as “The Forgotten documented flow of the Rio bers of the choir. That’s good if
Reach,” we find documentation Conchos. The Rio Conchos al - a few individuals in the choir,
of a remarkable number of ways has been the master stream armed with these and other
activities to restore this stretch of through the Presidio Bolson, Big facts, take it upon themselves to
the Rio Grande. For almost a Bend Ranch State Park, Big Bend affect political decisions. This
decade the World Wildlife National Park and the Lower publication offers knowledge,
Fund, Big Bend National Park, Canyons of the Rio Grande.
insights and logical actions to
The IBWC compiled 19 arrest or reverse some of the
Comission Nacional de Areas
Naturales Protegidas, Big Bend years of flow data from 1896 deleterious changes that are
Ranch State Park and more through 1914, before any of the occurring along our shared bor-
than 20 other agencies, in sti - big dams were constructed der with Mexico.
Quetzal
International
Beauty Salon
An ideal place for him & her
W HITE C RANE
A CUPUNCTURE
C LINIC
Acupuncture
•
Herbs
•
Bodywork
• Mary Kay Products
• All-Nutrient Organic Products
• Credit & Debit Cards
Mon-Sat 9-12 & 1-7
905 W. San Antonio, Marfa
432-295-0025
Shanna Cowell, L.A.
505 E Sul Ross • Alpine
432.837.3225
Socorrito Mena
Proprietor
- 40 years experience -
Mon. - Fri. by appointment
NECTAR
COMPUTERS
Servicing West Texas with comprehensive
and experienced support since 2003
800 N 5th, Alpine Texas • www.nectarcomputers.com
432 837 3021 • Support Cell: 432 386 7811 • Mark Hannan, Owner
Visit the Nature Center,
mention this ad, and get
½-priced admissions!
a facility of the
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute
Est. 1974
botanical gardens
cactus & succulent greenhouse
hiking trails
located on ST HWY 118
outdoor & indoor exhibits 4 mi. S. of Fort Davis
nature shop closed major holidays
workshops & programs Open 9-5, Mon.-Sat.
citizen science opportunities www.cdri.org
school & tour groups welcome 432-364-2499
Cenizo
Third Quarter 2010
23