S. A. Camp has finished installation of the 10,000 gallon tank which will provide water for the 30 acre grove. The water comes from a well originally dug in the 1940s or 1950s for a cattle feedlot operation that was nearby; S. A. Camp refurbished it for Preserve use.

Mowing the 30 acre plot

The 30 acre grove is getting closer to being planted. The tall grass has to be mowed in order to see where to plant and put the drip lines. River Partners has visited and brought supplies. P.G.&E. still has not hooked up power for the pump.

Old areas where dredged mud has been dumped

The mound you see here is dredged dirt dumped there at some unknown time in the past. A solitary nanus lupine and a few weeds are the only plants growing there.

Care needed when canal is dredged

Periodically the city of Bakersfield has the Carrier (Kern Island) Canal dredged out and the bottom dregs (muck) dumped haphazardly nearby.

Contrary to common belief, this dirt or is not rich with nutrients; as the silt builds up in the canal, the lower layers become oxygen-deprived and lifeless.

So, instead of fertilizing the land on which they are dumped, they smother it. Eventually, enough bacteria may infiltrate the dirt and bring it alive, but only over the passage of time. The thinner the spread, the less time that will take.

Care needs to be taken that the city dredging contractors know this. They also need to know they should not dump the muck into historic river channels. Such care has been lacking.

Recent Bird Sightings

This Great Horned Owl has its head turned 180 degrees and is looking over his back at us. It is perched in a cottonwood tree. The Kildeer was out for a stroll.

Good working conditions on Saturday-- cool although overcast. Predicted rain never materialized. Good volunteer turnout, including CSUB students from Carl Kloock's class; they fanned out and picked up trash. Other volunteers stayed at the nursery and potted native blackberry cuttings or worked on the shade cloth's recent "wardrobe malfunction." Greg took these pictures-- thanks! Meanwhile, Andy drove around and supervised everyone.

A few small lupines have appeared on the side of a bank near the nursery.

Shade cloth goes on

Yesterday the guys installed shade cloth over the native plant nursery! (3/2/10)