Gap gates.
I understand skepticism on how those gates would be open to allow things to flow through, but...
If it pisses of environmentalists who “held a “prayer ceremony” on the dry riverbed as the noise of construction crews hummed in the background. They hung up “prayer flags” marked with handwritten words such as, “I am the sacred words of the earth … It is lovely indeed … Song of earth spirit.” then...
I am all for it. If it makes them gnash their teeth in frustration and anger at the enemies of Gaia, even better.
The environmentalists should have tried to work with the feds. The illegal border-crossers did equivalent or greater damage. Who knows? If Congress had cooperated they might have been able to put in animal crossing points with remotely operated closure gates to stop illegal crossings. Maybe next year...for now they gets what they gets...
Is there ANYTHING that DOESN’T “anger environmentalists”?
Yawn!!!
Additionally, they are using two types. In the riverbed itself they are using larger double gates, while in the higher floodplain (where only the worst peak floods might overflow) they are installing a series of smaller single swing gates. Those in the riverbed seem to deliberately leave gaps for animal migration (no doubt that will be persistently surveilled and alarmed). You can see the two types side by side here:
To the East and West sides of the floodgates, now stand mighty 30 foot bollards. Another major upgrade, is the Patrol road bridge, that will give Border Patrol rapid mobility to both sides of the River, during monsoon flooding.
I have no doubt that this longstanding major corridor for illegal traffic, will also get a large dose of surveillance, sensors and alarms. Infiltrators have long loved to follow the river for the shade, concealment and water, as well as to not get lost.
The patrol road bridge spans are starting to go in now as well:
I am guessing that technology will bristle underneath the bridge, and probably atop light poles as well.
So is it ‘free flowing’ or just a dry ‘riverbed of cool sandy silt’?
Unimpeded flash floods during monsoon season isn’t the natural state of the San Pedro River anyway, where beavers were once far more numerous than they are today.
https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2016/03/06/93472/
(see also the very readable “Eager” by Ben Goldfarb)
There was an earthquake around 1887 that caused the San Pedro River to settle underground. The area those whackos are standing at looks exactly the same as it did in 89 to 97 when I lived near there.
Kate Scott: Some birds don’t fly high enough to get over the wall.
Some people, just too much freakin time on their hands.
Oh, our little area here is just so much more special than
other areas. We should get an opt out.
Mellon heads... seedless...
The cottonwoods are not native to the area. They suck up, literally, tons of water. The pioneers carried them in and they spread in the river basins.
The river needs to be restored to its full flow so it can be stocked with alligators, piranha and freshwater Zambezi River bull sharks.