Los Ebanos Ferry and Roma Bluffs

Los Ebanos Ferry

Santa Cruz de Rio Grande City

Roma Bluffs

July 14, 2015

The first stop in our journey was to the Los Ebanos Ferry.  I did not know that we had a hand operated ferry in our area.  This is where I learned what a cut bank was.  I would call it a cliff, but have learned the correct term.  It was interesting to see the level of the water and the force of the current. We realized that the U.S. side can handle a rise in the water level in this area, but not on the Mexico side.  If flooding would occur, the water would flood many homes that are close to the river. 

Los Ebanos is located in the La Burrita Creek-Rio Grande Sub Watershed.  It flows into La Joya Creek-Rio Grande Watershed; which flows into the Los Olmos River Sub Basin.

                       

We continued on our way to Rio Grande City.  This is where we were able to see higher elevation. Homes were built on small hills.  It was interesting to see how the hills have been cut through to make roadways.  This retaining wall is a display of the modifications that had to be made to the natural landscape to create our roadways.

Santa Cruz de Rio Grande City was very impressive.  I wasn't sure I was going to make it all the way up.  It is quite a site as you come into the parking lot and look up toward the cross.

I was not aware that this was limestone and that it does not erode but it dissolves with acid.

The view from atop the hill is beautiful.  It gives us an understanding of the altitude of the land in the past.  It is almost unbelievable that so much of the land has eroded leaving only the hill behind.

Rio Grande City is part of the Rio Grande City-Los Olmos Creek Sub Watershed.  Rio Grande City is also in the Kelsey Lake-Rio Grande Sub Watershed.  It then flows into Arroyo Grande-Rio Grande Watershed and Los Olmos Creek-Rio Grande Watershed; which then flows into the Los Olmos River Sub Basin.

Our last stop was at the Roma Bluffs.  To begin with I did not know the word bluff let alone know the meaning of the word.  I now know that it's a high vantage point.  The view from the bluff was beautiful.  I had heard that there were small islands revealed by the low level of the water on the river, but I had never been able to witness this.

Roma is located in an area with several sub watersheds.  It begins with the Ramirez Creek-Rio Grande Sub Watershed followed by the Arroyo Morenos-Rio Grande Sub Watershed, then there is the Arroyo La Minta Sub Watershed finally there is the Arroyo Garceno-Arroyo Grande Sub Watershed. The sub watersheds flow into the Arroyo Grande-Rio Grande Watershed.  This then flows into the Los Olmos River Sub Basin.