The Rivers Of Illinois

Driving dorsum to Missouri from a marriage inwards Cincinnati, my married adult woman as well as I took the "southern route," coming across Interstate 64 from Louisville to St. Louis.  After crossing the wide Ohio River as well as undulating through the hills of the Hoosier National Forest, inwards southern Indiana, the highway enters relatively apartment terrain northward of Evansville as well as shortly crosses the Wabash River to start out its trek across south-central Illinois; surprisingly, that 150 mile segment of the Interstate alone crosses ii rivers large plenty to warrant highway signs, the Little Wabash inwards southeast Illinois as well as the Kaskaskia River inwards southwest Illinois, though a handful of creeks are also recognized.

Bordered on the due west past times the Mississippi as well as on the southward past times the Ohio, Illinois sends close all of its H2O toward the Gulf of Mexico; spell the Eastern Continental Divide passes through Chicago, canals link the Chicago as well as Calumet Rivers (which formerly emptied into Lake Michigan) amongst the Des Plaines River, which flows southward into the Illinois River, hence disrupting the Divide.  The latter river, formed past times the convergence of the Fox, Des Plaines as well as Kankakee Rivers, drains a wide swath of the State, from its northeastern corner to the St. Louis area, where it empties into the Mississippi.  Northwest Illinois is drained past times the Galena, Apple, Rock, Green as well as Edwards Rivers (north to south), all flowing westward to the Mississippi.  In west-central Illinois, the Vermillion River rises from several tributaries as well as and so flows southeastward to the Wabash (the largest northern tributary of the Ohio), spell the Kaskaskia begins its long journeying southwestward to the Mississippi as well as the Little Wabash snakes southward to the Ohio.  Finally, the Big Muddy River as well as a host of smaller streams drain the Shawnee Hills of southern as well as southeastern Illinois, most flowing toward the Ohio River, itself a massive tributary of the Mississippi.

In landscapes amongst prominent ranges or dramatic relief, it is unremarkably slowly to visualize the element watersheds; simply inwards a relatively apartment expanse of terrain (which defines most of Illinois), ane must pay unopen attending to subtle divides as well as maps to fully sympathise the regional hydrology.  Of course, the river networks of Illinois are, inwards large part, the production of glacial erosion as well as meltwater flow, acting on the underlying geology.

Another Endeavour At Eagle Bluffs

Since I am dorsum inwards Columbia, Missouri, for a week, I decided to view Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, hoping that the floodwaters had receded; alas, a sign on the entry route indicated a route closure ahead and, since I was driving our VW Beetle, I was forced to plough to a greater extent than or less inside a few hundred yards.  A bald eagle, a few crows too a yoke dozen horned larks were all that I encountered.

Returning to Route K, I decided to endeavor the Buck too Katy Lakes component of Eagle Bluffs, simply southward of McBaine.  There I was greeted yesteryear a lonely scissor-tailed flycatcher on the ability trouble too was pleased to honour that the graveled roads were passable.  Killdeer, bang-up egrets too red-winged blackbirds dominated the scene, joined yesteryear a few turkey vultures, bang-up bluish herons, tree swallows too spotted sandpipers.  Within a half-hour, I was dorsum on the road.

No doubt, the severe flooding along the Missouri River volition travel tedious to resolve, peculiarly since heavy rains convey fallen across its upper watershed inwards the yesteryear few days.  We could purpose some of that pelting hither inwards Central Missouri too await thunderstorms this afternoon.

Barry Retests Human Folly

Approaching the Louisiana coast, Tropical Storm Barry volition presently retest the folly of edifice a large metropolis at the oral fissure of North America's largest river system, one-half below sea degree in addition to subject on the protection of pumps in addition to levees.  Up to twenty inches of pelting is expected inwards some areas in addition to the Mississippi River is already inwards overflowing stage.

Of course, New Orleans is non the exclusively coastal American metropolis to blossom some an early on seafaring port precisely i would intend that nosotros accept learned our lesson over the past times 500 years.  Long enamored amongst the beauty in addition to utility of rivers in addition to the ocean, nosotros humans tin no longer crimp upward our tents or deed to a higher cave when threatened past times high water.  Even inwards the seem upward of ascent sea levels in addition to destructive annual floods, many United States of America of America cities in addition to towns stand upward their ground, determined to rebuild (with Federal assistance assured).

While port facilities in addition to historic structures cannot or should non move moved, it is fourth dimension for humans to abandon floodplains in addition to high conduct chances coastal areas.  If nosotros create non initiate the procedure (while likewise doing what nosotros tin to mitigate global warming), nature volition forcefulness our hand.

The Chorus Of Summer

Here inwards the American Midwest, the hot, humid air of summertime tends to suppress birdsong (as good every bit human activity); nevertheless, to a greater extent than or less distinctive sounds of the flavour persist: the croak of bullfrogs, the "fiddling" of crickets as well as the sudden "peent" of mutual nighthawks come upward to mind.

But the dominant chorus of summertime is that of annual cicadas, echoing through the woodlands from mid July through early on September.  While non virtually every bit abundant every bit periodic cicadas, which emerge inwards belatedly boundary every thirteen or 17 years, the annual species tin compass an annoying background din at times.

On the other hand, their chorus is nostalgic for those of us who grew upward inwards cicada province as well as who would deny these insects their brief, noisy fourth dimension inwards the sun?  Having spent several years undercover every bit a grub, drawing nutrition from a tree root, they convey simply a twosome weeks to mate as well as pose eggs earlier they die.  Besides, the heat-fueled cicada chorus indicates that summertime is one-half over, a welcome sign for those of us who prefer cool weather.

Curt Gowdy Blue Planet Park

Curt Gowdy State Park, named for the sportscaster too native of Wyoming, stretches across the eastern flank of the Laramie Mountains, westward of Cheyenne.  The Laramies are a wide uplift of Precambrian granite stretching from northern Colorado (NNW of Ft. Collins) to Casper, Wyoming, too bisected past times the Laramie River.  The Park is best reached via Route 210, which leads due north from Interstate fourscore close the acme of the ridge too before long curves eastward through scenic terrain.

Deciding to escape the oestrus moving ridge inward Metro Denver, my married adult woman too I drove upwards to Laramie today too and thence out to Curt Gowdy State Park.  Characterized past times 3 reservoirs, rolling hills adorned amongst ponderosa pino parklands, scenic outcrops of granite and, inward shaded canyons, pine-fir forest, the 3500 acre Park is pop for camping, hiking too fishing.  After stopping past times the Visitor Center, nosotros laid upwards off on the Crow Creek Trail, which leads upward through a beautiful canyon to Hidden Falls (4 miles roundtrip).  It is clearly the virtually pop hike at the Park precisely was non uncomfortably congested on this Tuesday afternoon; other than humans, nosotros encountered mule deer, golden-mantled Earth squirrels, cerise squirrels too a host of "Montane" songbirds.

In no hurry to supply to 100 score F temperatures along the Colorado Front Range, nosotros bring decided to take in Devils Tower tomorrow, a spectacular National Monument inward northeast Wyoming that nosotros bring non nevertheless had the pleasance to "closely encounter."  Details on that sense inward the side past times side post.

Journey To Devils Tower

Leaving Laramie, Wyoming, this morning, nosotros headed E on Interstate 80, climbing into the Laramie Mountains.  Beyond the pass, nosotros began a long descent on The Gangplank too thence switched to I-25 North at Cheyenne.  This highway parallels the Laramie Range, initially at a distance too thence at closed hit most Wheatland, where Laramie Peak (10,500 feet) looms to the northwest too where the Interstate crosses the Laramie River.

Farther north, afterwards passing the Glendo Reservoir too crossing the North Platte River, nosotros headed E on US xviii to Lusk, crossing nondescript grasslands along the way.  At Lusk, nosotros turned northward on US 85, shortly driving through a scenic landscape of hills too mesas too crossing the upper Cheyenne River.  Nearing Newcastle, yellow sweetness clover blanketed the hills too valleys too bee-hive boxes were spaced along the highway; northward of Newcastle, US 85 undulates through the westward border of the Black Hills, where Paleozoic redbeds adorn the scenery.  At Four Corners, nosotros cutting northwest on Route 585 to Sundance too thence followed Routes xiv too 24 northward to Devils Tower, America's commencement National Monument (established past times Theodore Roosevelt inwards 1906).

The geology too natural history of Devils Tower is described inwards an before postal service (see link) too I volition non repeat myself inwards this one.  On this mild twenty-four hours inwards mid July, nosotros were greeted past times throngs of immature human being tourists too past times an approaching summertime thunderstorm.  Though nosotros did motility into the Monument too joined a parade of humans on the Tower Trail that circles the famous landmark, Devils Tower is best appreciated at a distance, where 1 tin give the sack notice its placement inwards the landscape too persuasion its grandeur inwards relative solitude.

Through The Dark Hills As Well As Beyond

After a nighttime inwards Spearfish, South Dakota, nosotros started dorsum toward Denver this morn too decided to cutting through the Black Hills en route.  Fortunately, nosotros chose to starting fourth dimension that journeying along Route 14A, which climbs through the scenic canyon of Spearfish Creek, lined alongside sheer cliffs of Mississippian limestone; several beautiful waterfalls adorn the canyon, ane of which, Roughlock Falls, is a complex serial of cascades at the caput of Little Spearfish Canyon, perchance the almost beautiful place inwards the Black Hills.

After passing through Lead, nosotros continued southward on USA 385, passing through around of the to the lowest degree developed regions of the National Forest too purposely avoiding around the pop tourist sites (which nosotros accept visited inwards the past).  Finally dropping from the Black Hills uplift, southward of Wind Cave National Park, nosotros crossed the rolling terrain of the Missouri Plateau, drained past times the Cheyenne too White Rivers.

Just southward of Chadron, Nebraska, nosotros climbed through the Pine Ridge Escarpment too continued southward across the High Plains, highlighted past times a westward extension of the Nebraska Sandhills, southward of Alliance.  After crossing the wide North Platte Valley, nosotros stopped for the nighttime inwards Sidney, Nebraska; we'll provide to our Littleton farm tomorrow too in conclusion appear upwards the ongoing oestrus moving ridge inwards Colorado.

Relief From The North

Yesterday, nosotros returned to our Littleton farm to uncovering that several days of extreme oestrus together with brilliant sunshine had taken a damage on the vegetation.  The leaves of our native shrubs were drooping together with our "lawns" together with pastures were to a greater extent than chocolate-brown than green.

Fortunately, a mutual frigidity forepart dipped through northeastern Colorado concluding night, protecting us (for now) from the hot domes of high pull per unit of measurement area that sit down over the Eastern the U.S.A. together with the Desert Southwest.  Our afternoon high was most twenty degrees (F) cooler than it was yesterday together with clockwise winds unopen to the middle of high pull per unit of measurement area (now over the western Dakotas) ignited afternoon thunderstorms, bringing welcome pelting together with dropping the temperature into the sixties.

This welcome relief from our recent oestrus moving ridge should concluding a distich of days earlier the atmospheric ridge from the Desert Southwest expands northward in i lawsuit again.  It's a battle of high pull per unit of measurement area domes together with most of us along the Front Range are for sure rooting for our protector from the Northern Plains.

Hackberry Trees

Other than New United Mexican US locust trees in addition to chokecherry shrubs, which reproduce past times both seed in addition to suckering, hackberries are with the close mutual trees on our Littleton farm.  Their little berries are eaten past times songbirds in addition to little mammals alike, providing a reliable agency of seed dispersal.

Represented past times numerous species across the Northern Hemisphere, hackberry trees tolerate a broad arrive at of soil weather though they are close mutual on floodplains in addition to accept long been used to stabilize river banks.  Species constitute inwards Western North America are drought tolerant, explaining their remain of propagation on our property.  Their relatively soft woods has proven to move of fiddling value for structure purposes in addition to these trees, which ordinarily grow inwards mixed woodlands, accept been primarily harvested for firewood.

Though non peculiarly attractive (their fossil oil leaves oft harbor insect galls) in addition to by in addition to large of minor acme inwards the West, hackberries offering maintenance-free greenery in addition to nutrient for a large diverseness of wildlife.  What amend colonizer to host inwards this semi-arid environment?

Steady State

For the naturalist, mid summertime is the closest nature comes to a steady state.  The conditions varies piffling from hateful solar daytime to day, plants are maturing exactly the explosive increment of jump has ended as well as the novel generations of birds as well as mammals are increasingly independent.

Migrant flocks of shorebirds are straight off drifting into our wetlands exactly the massive exodus of songbirds, waterfowl as well as about raptors is nevertheless months away.  Oppressive estrus suppresses daytime activeness for nearly birds as well as mammals as well as has taken a cost on the verdant landscape of jump as well as early on summer.  Even the atmospheric turmoil of that menstruum has settled into a predictable blueprint of daytime estrus as well as eventide thunderstorms.

Most of us limit our outdoor activeness to the morn or slow daylight hours as well as our expectation for novel discoveries is at an annual low.  Only the amphibians, reptiles as well as insects thrive inwards the cauldron of mid summertime as well as many humans, myself included, yearn for the cool alter of tumble as well as the natural invigoration that comes alongside that season.

Falling Population Growth

Earlier this week, I watched a word programme that revealed the the United States of America population increment charge per unit of measurement is falling.  This is a effect of women putting off pregnancy until after inwards life in addition to a slight contraction of life expectancy.  The reporters were a fleck alarmed past times the data, focusing on the economical comport upon of fewer consumers.

But, for anyone concerned virtually global warming in addition to the wellness of natural ecosystems, this is proficient news, though the benefits volition probable live on outweighed past times continued high fertility rates inwards developing countries.  Human overpopulation, recognized every mo an environmental threat for at to the lowest degree fifty years, places stress on marine in addition to terrestrial ecosystems across the globe; depletion of natural resources, pollution, climate alter in addition to habitat devastation all play a role.

No doubt, corporations in addition to investors are alarmed past times the prospect of diminished global consumption.  But, unless nosotros reign inwards our burgeoning population, in that location volition live on far greater impacts on the economic scheme (and on the welfare of human civilization) every mo the wellness of Planet populace continues to deteriorate.