Nature Photography

Photo Essay: Rainfall 911

It’s been almost a month since we’ve had a proper rainstorm, and I’m starting to feel nostalgic.

The last precipitation of note happened on September 11. With predictable effects on flags…

Photo essay - soggy American flag during Tucson, Arizona rainstorm on September 11, 2012

After I took my flag back into the house — and hung it up to dry — it was back outside to observe the weather events.

Front porch and the plants are really getting a soaking…

Photo essay - rainfall on porch and plants during Tucson, Arizona rainstorm on September 11, 2012

Elsewhere in the xeriscape, the prickly pear cactus, trailing indigo, and chuparosa are loving the water. Oh, are they ever…

Photo essay - rainfall on prickly pear cactus, trailing indigo, and chuparosa during Tucson, Arizona rainstorm on September 11, 2012

Last stop on the Rainfall 911 tour is my driveway. Don’t get me wrong: I like my driveway. I really do. No cars here, but I do enjoy having a nice, smooth surface for launching bicycle rides.

But there’s a problem with the driveway. It allows a lot of water to escape the property…

Photo essay - water running off driveway and into street during Tucson, Arizona rainstorm on September 11, 2012

After the water leaves my place, it’s out in the street, where it adds to Tucson’s urban flooding problem. I’d like that driveway water to stay around and benefit my plants, which help to cool our city.

How to accomplish this? I’m not sure.

But I can say that my place will be one of 14 stops on the Watershed Management Group’s Second Annual Home-scape Tour. Perhaps the collective intelligence of those who visit can help me work on the driveway runoff problem.

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