Palisades-Kepler State Park. Mt. Vernon , Iowa picturesque preserve of woodlands and rock formations, limestone cliffs and rock formations along the banks of the Cedar River in east central Iowa. This is a place I frequent and it is a place I witness the changes that the weather patterns are haviong upon this water way.
The above photo in lush green and serene blue was taken May 2012
This photo was taken in December 2012 of the same place after suummer of record heat and extreme lack of rain
In May 2013 The waters rose. The winter began late and there was rain and snows late, into the month of May and after that some of the rivers rose, flash flooding was experienced and the Cedar overflowed her banks. this photo was a close as I could get to the rock outcropping in prior pictures, I was not near enough to see the rocks and the view was obscured by tree and plant growth and the path I had used before to reach the rocks was under water
Photo taken November 30th 2013. There is water on this shore line but it part of an isolated pool, not joined to the whole of the river, farther to the right out of view is huge sandy areas and ion the far side of that a narrow, shrunken river. In this shot you can see the shore line that has been eroded and also how the water been dropping.
This was taken in June 2013. The beautiful purple flowers vibrantly declaring summer's arrival and against the back drop of a swollen river.
After July came the weather pattern here returned to endless sunny days,
nary a cloud in sky. Very , very little rain fell and now, though we
have had much cold there has just been a small bit of snow.This photo is
from November 30th 2013 taken in same spot where the purple flowers
were but notice the predominance of sand and very diminished river
behind.
May and June 2013
These are shots of the old dam that once crossed the Cedar River here at Palisades-Kepler State Park. The structure built 80 years ago has fallen into disrepair and most often seen as crumbled assorted rocks and some concrete structures. During May and June of 2013 the rocks and old structure were completely under water
and July brought sun and heat and lead into August and the days were sunny and bright, day after day beautiful blue skies...and the water levels dropped as there was virtually no rain dropping.
“Water is the driving force in nature.”
Leonardo da Vinci
''Water is critical for sustainable development, including
environmental integrity and the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and
is indispensable for human health and well-being."
United Nations
"By means of water, we give life to everything."
Koran, 21:30
"We have the ability to provide clean water for every
man, woman and child on the Earth. What has been lacking is the
collective will to accomplish this. What are we waiting for? This is the
commitment we need to make to the world, now."
Jean-Michel Cousteau
"Water links us to our neighbor in a way more profound and complex than any other."
John Thorson
Above the autumn leaves adorn the tree-lined river side as October 2013 settles
As November ends the leaves are gone from the trees, the blue skies and bright sun contiue on even into the cold season and so also continues the drought which is shrinking the Cedar River and many others throughout the central farmlands of the American midwest
"When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water."
Benjamin Franklin
"A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure."
Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water."
Loran Eisley
