The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-01-15
Peculiar Streams in New Mexico.

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In a recent article in Science Mr.. M.
w. Harrington says:
The phenomenon of a stream flowing
merrily down from a mountain and
then disappearing, is, in the West, a
very common One. In following down
the Rio Grande on IN enlarged map,
we find many streams entering into it
in its upper our In going down a
little further, reaching the San Luis val
ley, they arc found to suddenly give out
on the northern side; and. a few miles
down, on the southern side also. The
principal streams of the valley, the Rio
Grande excepted, come i'm full force
down the mountain, flow freely ON, and
terminate in a marsh, or II small lake
OF in the sand.
The beds of those which should emp
ty in the Rio Grande are there. but there
is no water in them. Similar streams
are common over the Southwest; and
the various streams show all the differ
ent stages, from those which really go
somewhere all the time, 10 those which
empty into the main stream II part of
the time, and those which alive and full
OF water above, always fail to reach the
stream to which they are headed below.
One time had the curiosity to examine
a stream at the point where il was lost.
1t was the Rio Iiondo, just south of
Santa Fee. We had crossed il lower
down; and, though the ravine was sew
enty-five or 100 feet deep, we had found
it perfectly dry. We followed up it's
south bank for a mile or two until we
struck the foothills, and there we found
it II bright, ripping stream, leaping
down from ledge to ledge. very pictur-
eSque, with some scattering trees along
| the banks, and so broad that il was not
easy to pass over il, lcaping from stone
to stone, and remain dry-shod.
From here my friend drove back 10
the crossing, and walked down TO see
where and how q stream could lose it.
self with such q volume OF water, and a
path well marked out for it. AS l fol-
lowed 1t down ii ran on merrily in the
midst of q little valley not more than
six or eight rods wide, along which
were pretty. meadows alternating with
clumps of bushes. 1t passed through
the various incidents of n stream-here
a little fall, there a rapid over thickly-
set stones, a little further n pool. There
seemed to be nothing unusual in it,
when suddenly / noticed that the little
valley widened TO double its previous
width, the bed became more sandy and
the stream spread over a greater space.
1t was evidently going under; and,
within twenty rods of where | noticed
the first change, the running water had
entirely disappeared, The bed of the
stream vas damp for twenty rods or so
more; then for a considerable distance ]
could get water by digging a few inches;
then that indication failed, and beyond
the stream-bed was entirely dry.
Not ut all such streams terminate thus
in the middle of their bed; some termi-
nate in a small, shallow lake, some in
marsh, and either lake or marsh is
pretty sure to be brackish, due to con-
slant concentrations by evaporation OF
the alkalies held in solution. Other
lost streams fill up after a rainfall, and
complete above the ground their coarse
TO the main stream. After a heavy rain
in the mountains they are apt to change
, their ''lOst" character with Il sudden.
ness and decision which may prove dan
gerOus. The water occasionally pours
down with an advancing wave or head
which is described ~ sometimes five OF
!, six feet high. There il II remarkable
case in New Mexico where the lost trib
|. utaries are plentiful, but the main stream
/, does not exist. This is II valley which
lies between the Rio Grandc and tn,
: Pecos river. The valley begins near thu
! Sandio Mountains, and is shu: out from
: the streams on each side by broker
mountain chains. 1t is a wcll-detinet
XallsY moi VERY bRHr8ad, but having i;