BARSTOW
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| (1863). The California Geological Survey party of 1863, en route from
San Bernardino to the Colorado River, paused at the future site of Barstow
along the Mojave Road. The party called the low hill at left center "Sugarloaf."
The foreground plants are creosote bush and cattle spinach (Atriplex
polycarpa). In the distance, trees line the channel of the Mojave River.
Their stature suggests they likely are mostly Goodding willow, although
a positive identification is impossible (Richard D'Heureuse 1905.16894–A,
courtesy of the Bancroft Library). |
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(February 26, 2001). The camera station is on the edge of a railroad
cut (behind the view) east of downtown Barstow, and vegetation and topography
in the foreground and midground have been disturbed. Because of ground-water
pumpage, almost the entire native riparian system in this area has been
obliterated with the exception of mesquite hummocks on the north side
of the river. The trees in the distance are a mixture of cottonwoods and
non-native species, planted within a subdivision and irrigated (Dominic
Oldershaw, Stake 2225).
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| (1917). Thompson took this upstream view of the Mojave River from a small
hill on its north bank at the main road crossing at Barstow. Current deflectors
appear at right center, designed to minimize erosion of the north bank and
its roads. The low vegetation at left appears to be mesquite on sandy hummocks,
and scattered shrubs of unknown species appear throughout the open, sandy
channel. What appear to be cottonwood trees are visible in the distance
(David Thompson 234, USGS Photo Library). |
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| (October 22, 2000). Nearly all the native riparian plants in the previous
view are dead, victims of ground-water overdraft in the reach upstream from
Barstow. The low, hemispheric shrubs in the foreground are tamarisk, which
accumulate eolian sand entrained from the open river bed and deposited around
the trees. The vegetation at left is planted and irrigated, and most of
the trees are non-native Athel tamarisk (Tamarix aphylla) (Dominic
Oldershaw, Stake 2106b). |
