And we finally got rain …
This drainage coming out of Spring Creek Basin usually is wide and dry. The water gap is in case of episodes such as this! The PVC pipe creates a visible barrier for the horses in the fence line, but it swings with the force of water when it flows. This pic was taken from the Disappointment Road looking northeast into the basin. The unnamed promontory is barely visible through rain at far back right. The horses already were taking advantage of the rain and running arroyos; three bands were to the east and north of this point.
A couple of hours later, the big flow was a memory. But I bet the memory lives on in the form of some ultra-full ponds!
Here’s a shot of the usually-dry Spring Creek arroyo that runs under the Disappointment Road in the northern part of the valley – west of Spring Creek Basin. In the background, you can see the rimrocks that form the basin’s western boundary and beyond, the unnamed promontory. (Yes, that’s dreaded tamarisk along the left bank of the creek.)
And this is Spring Creek a coupla-few hours later after the above peak. Still high but receding.
The above two pix of Spring Creek are together for comparison purposes. The below two photos were taken inside Spring Creek Basin after the first of those two photos were taken.
This is the entrance to Spring Creek canyon – site of previous roundups. Spring Creek flows west out of Spring Creek Basin after collecting water from multiple arroyos and drainages in the basin and eventually joins Disappointment Creek, which joins the Dolores River, which joins the Colorado River. Cool, huh? Spring Creek flows only during major rain events like the one today. Spring Creek and Spring Creek Basin are not interchangeable terms.
Looking upstream, sort of east-southeast. It was raining when I took these photos, so I didn’t stay long.
Rain. Lifeblood of the desert and its inhabitants. I cry at its lack, and I cry for joy when it falls. My heart is happy for Spring Creek Basin’s mustangs and other residents.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
It worked!! (Can I stop dancing now?) hahaha
What a reason to celebrate! Powerful images, TJ.
Thanks TJ for the informative photos! What a blessing for all who survive nature in your beautiful wild basin…
What a joy to be there to witness some of this! Hail at the cabin, thick water pushing into the culvert under Disappointment Road east of the corrals, the wave of that water reaching Disappointment Creek near TJ’s, followed by the bigger wave of the flashing Disappointment Creek herself. Then the overfull Spring Creek raging wildly downvalley, and waves of sediment and rocks crossing 141 on our way out. If we hadn’t stopped to visit with TJ at the bridge, we’d have been in a dangerous mess down there on the county road. Thank you TJ, gods, rain, water! And let’s keep dancing–for gratitude, and for more!
Happy Dance!!
Wow – wondrous amounts of water. Thanks so much TJ for the great pictures.
Will finally be there to stay in early October. Look forward to more visits with you and the ‘stangs…and to helping in whatever ways we can.
Fabulous!
That water looks sweet.
Nice dancing!
We just KNEW it had to be “your” turn!! 😉
Wonderful description TJ I printed out the story so I can refer to it at times.
Makes me feel kind of closer. (Closer is a subjective term.) Your freind (KW
above wrote a pretty fair story also.) i learned quite a bit today. GWD
Keep dancing! 🙂 Thanks for all the good wishes for our ponies and rain!