After two days of waiting for the sun to come out and the river to go down, we spent the weekend making as many miles as we could while taking as few risks as possible.

We did not really have any other option about the miles. Most of the campsites and access points to the side canyons are either still under water or coated in mud so slick that it makes walking on level ground difficult. Tonight we were lucky to find some rock slabs level enough to sleep on and just above the floodplain. With the river flowing high, we also can average close to 6 mph in the flat sections of the river.

The high water also makes the rapids a bit more exciting as they often don’t resemble what is in the guidebook. We spent at least half of our time climbing up and down muddy riverbanks through tunnels of cane so we could get on top of rock outcrops. From the high vantage point we could get a view of the river and plan our moves.

Rodeo Rapid was blown out into a long line of standing waves, so we portaged the laptops and cameras and I took the canoe through with the bow riding high and bouncing over the wave tops.

We did the same for the upper half of Upper Madison Falls and then portaged everything around the lower half.

At Panther Gulch, most of the rocks were under water and all we had to do was not run into or get too near the overhanging cliff.

At San Francisco Rapid, which is almost identical, we did not feel the same confidence and the submerged rocks did not look as friendly. We broke out the long lines and waded the shore as we guided the canoe through a shallow side channel.

We are now almost through the Lower Canyons. It seems a crime to rush through them like this. The walls are constantly changing in their color and texture. But our food supply is limited and we have promises to keep. If I had to choose one place on the Rio Grande to return to, this would be it.

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What do these numbers mean?

As they travel, Colin and Erich are taking water samples for the following periodic water quality tests. In partnership with The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment’s Texas Stream Team Program at Texas State University, the results will be added to a public database it helps maintain for research and monitoring water quality.

Air/Water Temperature: Temperature impacts everything from the amount of oxygen in the water and the metabolism of aquatic species to how easily compounds dissolve. Most species can tolerate slow seasonal changes but can go into thermal stress or shock when temperatures change by more than one or two degrees Celsius in 24 hours.
pH Level: The pH scale measures water’s acidity and runs on a logarithmic scale from 1.0 to 14.0, with 7.0 considered neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic and anything above is basic. A pH range of 6.5 to 8.2 is optimal for most organisms.
Dissolved Oxygen: Oxygen is just as vital for life below the surface as it is above. The amount needed varies according to species and stage of life, but generally 5.0 to 6.0 milligrams per liter is required for growth and activity. Levels bellow 3.0 mg/L are stressful to most fish species and levels below 2.0 mg/L for an extended period of time will cause fish kills.
Conductivity: Conductivity levels depend mainly on how easily the rocks and soils a stream passes through dissolve. For example, high levels of conductivity are often found with water that passes through limestone and gypsum because it will pick up the calcium, carbonate and sulfate from those rock formations. However, discharges into a water body, such as a failing sewage system, can also raise the conductivity because of the presence of chloride, phosphate and nitrate.
Water Clarity: Turbid water can come from high levels of sediment or plankton. Both will block sunlight to aquatic plants and the sediments can carry pollution such as nutrients and pesticides. Low levels of turbidity may indicate a healthy and well-functioning ecosystem. High levels can be an indicator of runoff from eroding soils or blooms of microscopic plankton due to high levels of nutrients.
E. coli: E. coli bacteria are found in the colon of warm-blooded animals. If the pathogen is found in water it’s an indicator that fecal mater from humans, pets, livestock or wildlife is also present and may pose a public health threat. For drinking water the standard is to have no E. coli. But almost all non-treated water has some E. coli in it and at low levels it does not represent a substantial health threat to those who swim or wade in it. The Environmental Protection Agency has set the water quality standard for these types of activities at 126 colony forming units per 100 mL.
Secchi disk transparency: The Secchi disk is a plain white, circular disk used to measure water transparency in bodies of water. It is lowered into the water of a lake or other water body until it can be no longer seen. This depth of disappearance, called the Secchi disk transparency, is a conventional measure of the transparency of the water.

Check-In	Time of Check-In (CST)	Latitude	Longitude
#1	7:30 a.m.	29.76767	-102.38995

About

To report on and understand the haphazard irrigation system the Rio Grande has become and the changes it is going through, Colin decided the best approach would be to travel the length of the Rio Grande by foot and small boat.

He knew it would give him a unique perspective on a river that few understand. It did require many long days of moving slowly and camping on muddy riverbanks, but Colin likes that sort of thing.

The benefit was it provided access to people who wanted to share their stories and experiences with the Rio Grande. Via Facebook and chance encounters, Colin made instant friends who opened their homes. They provided help from loaning their trucks to their cell phone contact lists to help tell the story of the Rio Grande.

The trip would not have been possible without their help, along with the dedicated assistance of David Lozano, Jason Jones and Daniel Dibona, who drove thousands of miles to get people and boats in place.

Disappearing Rio Grande

Why Follow the Rio Grande

Nov. 9, 2014

The rapids and tribulations of the Lower Canyons, Day 143

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Measurements #

What do these numbers mean?

Check-ins #