Tio Geronimo

The headwater spring of the Geronimo creek was referred to in historical records as Tio Geronimo spring. It was identified in records dating back as early as 1831.  Due to changes in the water table during the last 180 years, it is impossible to identify the exact location of this historically referenced main spring. What I observed today is that there are many small seeps and springs that feed a south branch of the Geronimo which joins the greater flow of the north branch which originates at a gravel pit that was dug sometime around 1950.  This spring was formed when gravel was removed for road building.  Shortly after the pit was dug, water started filling the pit and a flowing spring developed.  This gravel pit spring flowed throughout the severe drought of the 1950s but obviously was not the orginal Tio Geronimo spring.  I plan to research the old 1831 survey records to try and pin-point the 1831 location of this spring. In the photos that follow, I will refer to  the springs as feeding either the north or south branch of the Geronimo creek. The last photo is the pool of water formed when the two branches converge.  

Gravel pit spring

North branch flow coming from gravel pit

North branch flow meandering toward junction with south branch

One of many small springs that form south branch

South branch

South branch

South branch gains volume from many small seeps and springs

South branch just above junction with north branch

Pool formed by the convergence of the two springfed branches. The water in this pool is cloudy and distinctly different from the water coming in from either of the two branches. Can there be something different about the mineral make-up of the two branches that when mixed can cause this cloudiness? Could just be that fine silt accumulates where the flow drops off and is kept stirred up by cattle wading out into the creek to drink and stay cool.