Short Walk to the River

Ever since I read there was water in the river again, I've wanted to go. I finally had an opportunity this afternoon to take a short walk to the river. This was a joyous occasion for me, since we haven't had water in the river for a couple of years now. 

I parked on the road near the south entrance and took my favorite access path down to the river.

My Path to Access the Salinas River in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

This is the part of the riverbed it led to.

In the Riverbed of the Salinas River in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

In some years, this entire section has been filled with the flowing river,  but so far we haven't had enough rainfall to make that happen this year. In 2012 when I began my annual search for water in the river, it found me. Seeing the river fill was an amazing experience I captured in this video. I was so glad I had a video camera with me. I had never expected this.

This year only a couple of the channels have water so far. This one had the most. This photo is looking south.

Finally! The Salinas River in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

As I walked farther north in the riverbed, I came across the remains of the fire you see in the top photo. The police have recently cleaned up several homeless camps in the riverbed. Drownings have occurred in the past when homeless people are trapped on the sandbars where they are camping. In "U is for Under the Bridge" in the suggested articles below, you will see a memorial cross where probably few but the homeless would see it.

I made this poster in 2012 when the river was right up to the banks. It is the same path shown in the first large photo above.

Poster: Path to the Salinas River in March Poster 

Related articles

• U is for Under the Bridge
• Will We See Water In the River This Year?
• Water in the Salinas River in Templeton
• R is for the River

R is for the River

The Salinas River runs through the North County and plays a large part in our lives even if we never visit it. It has the fourth largest watershed in the state of California. The California State Water Resources Board has designated it one of the most critical watersheds in the state. Yet if you go down to the river you will hardly ever see water in it. This is the way we usually see it. Even though we don't see the water, it's still there, flowing under the riverbed.

Sometimes, in the years when we have rain, we will see some water filling the river in late winter or early spring. This  photo and the one below were taken in those wetter years. Both photos were taken by accessing the river at  Larry Moore Park.

If you are looking for a detailed article on the importance of the river and its ecology and restoration, you will want to read Salinas River: The "Upside Down' River. For more photos of the river in both the wet season and the dry season, check my article, The Two Seasons of the Salinas River. I also picture some other rivers I have visited there.

The river has inspired me to make many products on Zazzle. These posters are some of them. You will see larger versions if you click through to the site.

Posters of Salinas River
by Barbara Radisavljevic

Related articles

• Will We See Water In the River This Year?
• Bird on a Bridge from a Bridge Over the Salinas River