Boot Spring/U Juniper Spring

[badknees]

Anybody know if either of the springs are flowing. It has been awful dry lately, even though a wet year.

[mule ears]

It has been awful dry lately, even though a wet year.

With the year only a few days from being over and no rain in the forecast the official rainfall for the year at PJ is 15.11 inches.  The yearly average for PJ is 15.34 inches, so it has turned considerably dry in the last quarter of the year and will end up below normal (more or less).

[badknees]

It has been awful dry lately, even though a wet year.

With the year only a few days from being over and no rain in the forecast the official rainfall for the year at PJ is 15.11 inches.  The yearly average for PJ is 15.34 inches, so it has turned considerably dry in the last quarter of the year and will end up below normal (more or less).

Well....my original question was about Boot and Upper Juniper Springs. Since the water that feeds these springs comes from high Chisos rainfall (and snow), I believe the Basin precip amounts would be a more appropriate, or closer measure for thse springs. Average annual precipitation for the Basin  is 17.95". Current accumulated is 23.65" which is about 32% higher than the average precip.  I believe this can be considered a wet year for the Basin, as is any with totals over 20".

On the flip side, the average precip for Panther juction is 15.34" and this year only 15.1" has been recorded, and as you correctly state, PJ will probably come in below average.

The Chisos Mountains Basin, located in the center of Big Bend National Park, has received over twenty inches of rainfall for the calendar year. This is the second time since 1992, and the first since 2003, that rainfall in the Chisos Basin has eclipsed the twenty-inch mark.

All that said........does anyone know if Boot and Upper Juniper are pushing any water?

[dubeaux]

I was there one month ago, Thanksgiving.  Abundant water at Boot Spring.  The flow from the pipe was only a trickle (15 minutes to fill a liter), but pools existed up and down from it.  Further up Boot Canyon 500 to 1000 meters (i.e., SW, towards the South Rim) there were some some large, bathtub to small pond sized, pools in the rock, below the trail.  The day we hiked out of the Chisos there was steady, heavy rain, sleet and eventually snow, which added to what we saw.  I didn't see Upper Juniper but, after a wet year like this, I predict it has water also.

[trtlrock]

On 12/13 & 12/14 there was a lot of water in the tinajas in middle to upper Boot Canyon

[dkerr24]

Anyone been up there since 12/14/07?  What's the water situation now?

[sleepy]

didn't David say no water at Boot Canyon pipe in his OMG trip report?

[dkerr24]

Sorry, guess I missed reading David's report.  Can someone post a link to it?  I'm probably looking right at it, but can't see it.

[badknees]

didn't David say no water at Boot Canyon pipe in his OMG trip report?

I believe you are correct. I think he also said there wasn't any water in the canyon above the spring.

[JimNewOrleans]

I can't find it either right now, but I think his exact words were.... "dry as a bone"  -  the pipe,the pools, everything  - damn   
I've always been an iodine, add-more-crystal-flavoring-or-turn-it-into-coffee,  crunchy water minimalist  but just bought an expensive (to me) msr filter and was hoping to use it there soon - any chance of 2" rain next few days?  ha

[RichardM]

Sorry, guess I missed reading David's report.  Can someone post a link to it?  I'm probably looking right at it, but can't see it.

http://www.bigbendchat.com/portal/forum/your-trip-reports/the-omg-trip-aka-the-oml-jan-14-2008-t5136.0.html

[mule ears]

He did say Boot Spring was dry as a bone.  I still find it hard to believe that there is no water in the big tinajas up stream above the Juniper canyon trail jct.  There has been everytime I have been there.  It did rain a bit this week in the park.

[Casa Grande]

yes, no water to be found anywhere in the area...although I can't confirm or deny anything, Upper Juniper is supposed to be pretty wet.

[Robert]

I still find it hard to believe that there is no water in the big tinajas up stream above the Juniper canyon trail jct.

I was thinking the same thing. David, how far did you go up Boot Canyon past the trail junction did you look?

[Boot Canyon 1 Cougar]

On the 1/19, there was some very grungy water in Boot Canyon, as you progress toward the South Rim from the red cabin.

There was not very much of it, but there is some there.  It is periodically scattered is the rock canyon bottom along the way.

I would only want to drink it as a last resort.  It might even be crunchy.  And it may be best to leave it for wildlife, except in an emergency.