1938
1998
Side by side comparison
Map
Data Sheet
COMB WASH BELOW ROAD CANYON
General Description: The view is north northeast across Comb
Wash at a point about 1.5 miles south of where Road Creek enters
Comb Wash. The repeat photograph was actually taken some 300 feet
south and 90 feet west of the Hopkins photograph. The move was
necessary to secure a view of the scene through dense tamarisk
plants on the floodplain terrace. The surrounding land is BLM
administered.
Legal Description: SE1/4SE1/4 Section 12 T.40S., R.20E.
COMPARISON: The 1938 photograph shows a pack string ascending
a wide, shallow, and braided channel with no riparian vegetation. In
1998 the channel was a single stem with several overflow channels.
Three floodplains have now developed and the top two are vegetated
primarily by tamarisk and a few cottonwood trees at this location.
However, the streambank and first terrace contain a good variety of
native riparian plant species, including, cottonwood seedlings and
poles, coyote willow, bulrush, rush species, horsetail, saltgrass
and scratchgrass. Bermuda grass, an introduced specie, is also found
on the banks. Stream channel and vegetation conditions in 1998 are a
vast improvement over conditions found in 1938. However, Comb Wash
is intermittent at this location and further riparian development
will be slow. Three historic photographs from 1910, 1928 and 1938
along Comb Wash indicate similar vegetation and channel conditions
during those years. Improvements occurred after 1938.
Original:
Date: ca. 1938 (- A)
Photographer: W.H. Hopkins
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper no. 188,
1938
Photograph Number: Hopkins No. 1
Retake:
Date: September 16, 1998
Photographer: Earl Hindley
Source: San Juan County
