CAMP CADY RANCH |
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(1917). This view across the Mojave River floodplain, which was to become the Camp Cady Ranch (upstream from historic Camp Cady), shows a band of cottonwoods and Goodding willows along the Mojave River in the distance. This unbroken band conceals the river channel and indicates that the riparian system in the early 20th century was thriving (David Thompson 22, USGS Photo Library). |
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| (October 25, 2000). Much of the midground vegetation was cleared for agriculture during private operation of Camp Cady Ranch. The ranch buildings and surrounding lands are now owned by the California Fish and Game Department, which ceased grazing and agriculture on the property shortly before this photograph was taken. The stature of the riparian community has increased as the cottonwoods have grown higher above the willows. Upstream and downstream from this reach, riparian vegetation is dying owing to ground-water pumpage (Dominic Oldershaw, Stake 2115c). | |
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| (1917). Downstream of Barstow, the Mojave River crosses a wide, sandy valley that, in 1917, had sand dunes and mesquite hummocks. Where the river approaches the northwest side of the Cady Mountains, its course apparently crosses a subsurface geological structure (either fault or geologic strata) that forces ground-water towards the surface. A zone of riparian vegetation consisting of mesquite, cottonwood, and Goodding willow was well established here in 1917. The channel of the Mojave River, which flows right to left across the center of this view, is relatively wide (David Thompson 15, USGS Photo Library). | |
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| (October 25, 2000). This view across the upstream part of the Camp Cady Ranch shows a section where mortality of mesquite has been high owing to upstream ground-water pumping, much of it immediately upstream from the reach in this view, and tamarisk has increased considerably in the midground. At the time of this photograph, tamarisk removal was occurring in this reach. Despite the mortality, riparian vegetation increased during the middle of the 20th century before the dieback because the channel of the Mojave River is much narrower (Dominic Oldershaw, Stake 2117). |
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