Live from the Katnip Lounge, The Kat Pack!

Starring: The Baby *Tiny Johnson * Felix * Rupert * Scouty * CC * Sweet Pea * Maui * May Ling * Salem

and...*Angels Grayce, KonaKitty, and Sylvester* always loved, never forgotten




Tuesday, November 26, 2013

A Walk on the Wild Side


Kitties!
(and Human Pals)

Sheebie here.

I ever-so-(NOT)-cleverly uploaded a bunch of photos of the Horde to Picasa before I left for work to utilize as blog fodder, which turned out to be an epic FAIL...I obviously didn't do it right because when I went to use them they weren't there! 

Crappity, crap crap crap.

 I know what I did wrong, though...it won't happen again, I promise.  
::crosses fingers behind back::

Anyway, thank Cod I went for a tramp down to the wash Monday morning and took some pictures on my phone, because now at least I have something to show ya'll, even if it isn't kitty kats.

After all the rain we had I figured the wash would be really flowing, and it was.  Before all the weirs were built and the banks revegetated with native plants the water rocketed down the channel, gouging out a small canyon and depositing literally tons of silt into Lake Mead.  

Most of the work has been designed and executed by my employer, Las Vegas Valley Water District.  LVVWD is a subsidiary (sort of) of Clark County, and of course it's in the Water District's best interest to maintain our source water in the best possible condition.  If you're interested in learning more here's a couple of links:


You can see one of the weirs in the background and the pond it forms from the slowed down stream in front.  A fun fact about the weirs and rip-rap boulders in the wash--most of them are made out of the concrete rubble from demo'ed casinos!  There are huge piles along the wash, waiting to be used, and sometimes you can figure out which casino they are from by the gaudy color schemes.

In fact, you can see some trucks and earth-moving equipment across the stream.  The last time I biked over there I was amazed at how big this project is going to be when it's finally done; easily hundreds of acres, maybe more.  Something to investigate...and photograph.  I'll keep you posted.  

Tomorrow, KATS!!


Happy Tuesday!

XX  Sheebie  XX 

35 comments:

  1. Hmmmm, any sign of Jimmy Hoffa?
    hehahahaheh

    It is just beautiful. I so love the desert.

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  2. Wonderful photos - so much sky and light and warmth, and LIQUID water! Lovely to see. Now, is that birdie on the sign a road runner ? Wethinks a roadrunner could come over here and provide entertainment for the ninjas.

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  3. It's always strange to see so much water in the desert!
    And speaking of the desert...I'm going to guess that you'll be coming to BlogPaws???
    ; )

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  4. I always liked when we would take buggie rides out and see all the wildflowers right after the water had landed, been absorbed & then instantly turned the desert in to a wildflower paradise (for all of five minutes anyway).

    Glad to see some wetlands that might stay a bit longer.

    TW

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  5. I feel like my IQ's gone up just knowing somebody who can use weir and wash and rip-rap in a sentence and know what they mean.

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  6. We know about the oasis from books but we have never heard of weirs and wash on the desert. It's such a surprise to see all the precious water on a desert.

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  7. Great post and pics! We bet there are tons of great sniffs and whiffs out there in the wash. What we wouldn't give for a little free run through there!

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  8. Rocks from demoed casinos? Southern Nevada is a really strange place.

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  9. Glad the native plants are thriving - or allowed to thrive! Desert looks lovely with all that water! Take care
    x

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  10. I did not know what a weir was. Or is. I called on Dr. Google. Now I know. :)

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  11. Did you find the tramp at the wash?
    Jane x

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  12. Hmm, that's an interesting and creative use for rubble from demolished casinos. We think it's funny you sometimes can tell from which ones, depending upon colour.

    We think the pics are great, terrific image quality.

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  13. What a pretty day! Look at that sky! I agree with Kim about the terrific picture quality. I also thought it was funny you could tell which demo'd casino the rubble came from based on the gaudy colors.

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  14. Oh my, how beautiful the desert is with the water!

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  15. That's a great use for rubble from the casinos. Water management districts are awesome! Ours owns the land behind our house and makes it possible for us to look at trees and birds instead of other neighboring houses.

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  16. I totally hear ya about the Picasa fail...you should have seen what happened when I tried to use Flickr. And I think that walk looks soothing. I wish I could go on a nice dry walk along a creek!

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  17. darned technology :)

    but what lovely pictures....

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  18. Pretty interesting stuff! If there's colors on the concrete blocks does that mean it's paint and is it safe to be in the water system? On the Big Island of Hawaii they use crushed lava to make the roads. Gotta love the recycle ideas!

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  19. I have a tough time comprehending that much surface water in Nevada!

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  20. Y'know, some peeps think the desert's not very pretty. But those pictures prove them wrong.

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  21. sheebie...ya did better pick sure taken with yur fone than R mom wooda with a profession null standin next to her N tellin her how ta use hiz camera....

    at 874 in de shade de waters prob a blee dont last long huh...

    N thatz prette kewl de casino's were ree cycled like that !

    may bee ewe can find sum looze cash next trip round :) !!!

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  22. You guys have the BEST scenery there. It amazes me every time I look at it.

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  23. Great pictures and really beautiful too. I never think of the desert as being beautiful, but that's easy to say when I have never been in one. I guess the dessert has it's own beauty unlike any other area.

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  24. living in drought country ourselves, here in Nor Cal,it is always lovely to see photos of places that have taken care of water ways etc. Thanks for sharing

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  25. You do live in a beautiful place. The landscape is SO different from mine. I love me a desert!

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  26. It is very pretty, a nice place for a walk.

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  27. These photos are stunning. The ones Mom takes with her phone never turn out so well. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

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  28. have you thought of taking the kittehs white water rafting on that there weir or wash or whateva it is? no? that is just so like you...
    fanks for the great pictures! would love to see some tacky casino rubble - it would be very poeticals, somehow. Happy Tramping!

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  29. Very interesting. Great project!
    I echo GloGirly's query - you ARE coming to BlogPaws, aren't you??!!

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  30. Beautiful pictures! Very pretty blue sky and flowing water. The scenery is just beautiful! Hugs

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  31. Beautiful pictures, despite the lack of kitties on them!

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Oh Boy...this is gonna be GREAT!