Slice of Lucy: Water Is Life

While driving throughout the Southwest this March, I've noted that nearly every bridge over a river or stream has had a dry bed beneath it. At Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona, the mighty Colorado River seemed more like a lazy river at a water park:

This is not just a clueless tourist's observations. Due to low water levels, Glen Canyon staff recently issued warnings about quicksand, and a marina is being moved to make sure there is boat access to nearby Lake Powell this summer. The Rio Grande was dry as a bone where I crossed it west of Carlsbad, New Mexico. I know the wet season is yet to come in this region, but hailing from the shores of Lake Erie, the desiccated channels have been worrying. The land looks thirsty, plus I've encountered dust storms and wildfires. What is land or life without water? 

Driving through Saguaro National Park outside of Tuscon, Arizona (with an extreme heat dome in place causing temperatures over 100°), I encountered a sign indicating an upcoming roadside exhibit; the word "riparian" in the title leapt out at me. I had to pull over to investigate because my brain could not square my understanding of that word with the desert landscape stretching all around me. 

This display succinctly informs the viewer that the dry-looking hills actually store water, plus the whole area can be flooded when a rain event occurs. The people, flora, and fauna of the area are acclimated to the boom or bust water cycle; their hardiness and endurance are truly remarkable.

There is no doubt that Arizona is in the midst of a drought exacerbated by outsized demand for fresh water and gross resource mismanagement in the broader region. Perhaps the resident wildlife and humans will adapt and find a way to survive and thrive in a drier world. That said, I must be a softer kind of person because, as I head homeward, I am relieved to feel the pull of greener, wetter places.