Hidden Water: Pozos of the Gran Desierto
A collaboration with Benjamin M. Johnson and Hector Zamora
Part of 6&6
The Gran Desierto de Altar of the Sonoran Desert is the largest extent of sand dunes in North America. Once the interior of the Grand Canyon, these grains of sand excavated by the Colorado River and deposited at its delta dominate the landscape for hundreds of kilometers. Miraculously, an array of freshwater springs – pozos – punctuate the sand and salt flats, the only fresh water in any direction.
Photo credit: BTW (camera trap)
For millennia these enigmatic oases have been a confluence point for culture and life, the destination point for the Tohono O’odham salt pilgrimage. Today, foundational questions remain: What is the age and origin of this freshwater? How have these wetlands changed through time? What is their fate?
This transdisciplinary collaboration between a botanist, hydrologist, and artist has sought to answer these questions. Through the avenues of scientific research and artistic inquiry, the team has uncovered new truths about the history of these springs. Rather than recent local recharge from winter rains, the pozos are fed by ancient Colorado River water over 10,000 years old. This collection of views of the pozos sheds light on their complex, interwoven history and gestures towards a future of preservation for this life-giving water.
Credit: John
We were able to match several images of the springs taken by Explorer Carl Lumholtz in 1910. You can see these matches here.
Related Studies and Articles
Zamora, H.A., B.T. Wilder, C.J. Eastoe, J.C. McIntosh, J. Welker, K.W. Flessa. 2019. Evaluation of Groundwater Sources, Flow Paths, and Residence Time of the Gran Desierto Pozos, Sonora, Mexico. Geosciences 9: 378. doi:10.3390/geosciences9090378
Zamora, H.A., C.J. Eastoe, B.T. Wilder, J.C. McIntosh, T. Meixner, K.W. Flessa. 2020. Groundwater Isotopes in the Sonoyta River Watershed, USA-Mexico: Implications for Recharge Sources and Management of the Quitobaquito Springs. Water 12(12):3307. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12123307
Hidden Water: Pozos of the Gran Desierto. Arizona Daily Star.
Stopping For Pozos: A Collaboration Between Ben Wilder and Ben Johnson. MAHB.