Water in the Desert, JTNP

This seems to be a typical level for water backed up behind this dam built by pioneer Bill Keys (or at least it was added onto by Bill Keys, and he chiseled in his name on the top). Before the dam, this was an area known a an *Indian Springs*. Apparently the flow of water here changed often, with the change often triggered by earthquakes. As I'm writing this, and trying to recall what I heard at on of many tours I've taken at Bill Key's Desert Queen Ranch, perhaps what I'm saying applies to the similar area dammed up on the Key's Ranch, and not to here. At any rate, once, while Key's was working his ranch, an earthquake brought about such a huge increase of flowing water, that his dam overflowed, and a whole new channel of water was created, coming all too close to his house. Key's spent much of his last years moving rocks and trying to build a channel for such water in case such a flow should happen again.

In the above photograph, the reservoir is about half full. At closer viewing, long term water marks are easily seen on many rocks to show that the reservoir must have been nearly full for long periods of time.

. . . .Willow Hole, a natual water hole, JTNP