Amistad

https://www.nps.gov/amis/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amistad_National_Recreation_Area Amistad National Recreation Area is a park unit managed by National Park Service (NPS) that includes the area around the Amistad Reservoir at the confluence of the Rio Grande, the Devils River, and the Pecos River near Del Rio in Val Verde County, Texas. The reservoir was created by the Amistad Dam (Presa de la Amistad in Spanish), completed in 1969, located on the Rio Grande at the United States-Mexico border across from the city of Ciudad Acuña in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Amistad, Spanish for "friendship," refers broadly to the close relationship and shared history between Ciudad Acuña and Del Rio. An oasis in the desert, Amistad National Recreation Area consists of the US portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. Amistad, whose name comes from the Spanish word meaning friendship, is best known for excellent water-based recreation, camping, hiking, rock art viewing, and its rich cultural history. Amistad is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life above and below the water. Six miles west of the HWY 90 and 277 North intersection at 10477 Highway 90 West. Amistad National Recreation Area Visitor Center Our Visitor Center provides a bookstore, America the Beautiful park passes, lake use passes, Amistad hunting permits, videos, and exhibits. The Visitor Center is closed on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm. Six miles west of the HWY 90 and 277 North intersection. 277 North Campground 17 sites each with a covered picnic table and a BBQ grill. The sites are suitable for tents or RVs. No drinking water or hookups available. Overnight Camping (Regula) 6.00 Overnight camping fee covers one campsite per night. Overnight Camping (Discounted) 3.00 Half price with Interagency Senior Pass or Access Pass. 277 North Campground 277 North Campground 277 North Campground campsite campsite campsite Governors Landing Campground Governors Landing is the only campground in the park with potable water available. This campsite has access to some of the most popular swimming areas in the park as well. Overnight camping (Regular) 10.00 Overnight camping per campsite. Overnight camping (Discouted) 5.00 Half price overnight camping fee for Interagency Senior Pass or Access Pass holders. Governors Landing Campsite Governors Landing Campsite Governors Landing Campsite Arial view of Governors Landing Campground Arial view of Governors Landing Campground Arial view of Governors Landing Campground Rough Canyon Camground The Rough Canyon Campground is a small campground located on the Devils River. Overnight Camping 6.00 Per camp site Overnight Camping - Discounted (Interagency Senior Pass or Access Pass holders) 3.00 Per camp site Rough Canyon Campground Rough Canyon Campground Rough Canyon Campground San Pedro Campground 30 sites suitable for tents or RVs and 5 tent-only sites. No drinking water or hookups available. Campground is accessed via a 1¼ mile graded gravel road. Each site costs $6/night. Overnight Camping (Regular) 6.00 Per site, per night Overnight Camping (Discounted) 3.00 Half price Interagency Senior Pass or Access Pass Arial view of San Pedro Campground Arial view of San Pedro Campground San Pedro Campground Campsite at San Pedro Campground Campsite at San Pedro Campground San Pedro has RV drive up accessible campsites. Self Pay Fee station Self Pay Fee station Camping fee can be paid when you arrive to the site at the self pay station Spur 406 Campground 6 sites suitable for tents or RVs. No drinking water or hookups available. Overnight Camping (Regular) 6.00 Per campsite Overnight Camping (Discounted) 3.00 Half price for Interagency Senior Pass or Access Pass holders Spur 406 Campground Spur 406 Campground Spur 406 Campground View of Amistad National Recreation Area from The Diablo East Nature Trail Amistad National Recreation Area Blue skies and blue waters are common at Amistad National Recreation Area Under the HWY 90 Bridge Under the HWY 90 Bridge A view of the Amistad Reservoir and the HWY 90 Bridge from Governors Landing. The shoreline along Amistad National Recreation Area A view of the peaceful shoreline along Amistad National Recreation Area A peaceful view of the shores along Amistad National Recreation Area Sunset over Amistad National Recreation Area Sunset over Amistad National Recreation Area The ever chainging and beautiful sunsets in Southwest Texas are one of the many things visitor enjoy while at Amistad National Recreation Area. Limestone shoreline along Amistad National Recreation Area Limestone shoreline along Amistad National Recreation Area Limestone is visible along the shoreline of Amistad National Recreation Area. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Amistad National Recreation Area, Texas Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. [Site Under Development] lake side picnic shelter Amistad Vascular Plant Inventory In 2002, the Chihuahuan Desert Network supported a two-year inventory of the vascular plants in Amistad National Recreation Area by the Wildlife Diversity Program of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Lake Amistad bordered by diverse vegetation communities Mammals of Amistad National Recreation Area Amistad National Recreation Area is positioned near the boundary of three biotic regions—Chihuahuan Desert, Edwards Plateau, and Tamaulipan Shrublands—and includes the confluences of the Rio Grande, the Pecos River, and the Devils River. Mammals have been studied both before and after the reservoir was constructed from the 1960s-1980s. However, no comprehensive mammalian inventory had been conducted within the park until this project. Ring-tailed cat in a tree Climate Change and the Chihuahuan Desert The Chihuahuan Desert Network is currently developing protocols to monitor several vital signs that may reflect current and future impacts of climate change. This brief offers a summary of how Chihuahuan Desert Network monitoring will detect future change. Smith Springs is one of many springs that serve as a water source for plants & animals in the CHDN. Amistad National Recreation Area Reptile and Amphibian Inventory Three major rivers (Pecos River, Devils River, and the Rio Grande) and the Amistad Reservoir occur in Amistad National Recreation Area (NRA). These diverse terrestrial and aquatic systems contribute to Amistad NRA’s high level of biodiversity. Searches for reptiles and amphibians were primarily focused along the eastern shore of the reservoir. Rio Grande leopard frog at the edge of shallow water Air Quality in the Chihuahuan Desert Three park units in the Chihuahuan Desert Network, Big Bend National Park (NP), Carlsbad Caverns NP, and Guadalupe Mountains NP are designated as Class I air quality areas under the Clean Air Act. Class I areas receive the highest protection under the act, and degradation of air quality must be minimal. Air quality concerns include atmospheric deposition effects and visibility impairment from fine particle haze. Rugged landscape under a partly cloudy sky at Big Bend National Park Amistad Bird Studies Amistad National Recreation Area and its surroundings are in a transitional zone between eastern, western, northern, and southern avifaunas, which provides the opportunity to see a wide variety of birds. Over 200 species of birds, both resident and migratory, have been documented at the recreation area. Painterly photo of an American avocet walking through shallow water Module Conducts Wildland-Urban Interface Projects Throughout the Intermountain Region In 2013, the Saguaro Wildland Fire Module (WFM) managed multiple projects simultaneously in AZ, TX, and NM. WFMs are highly skilled and versatile fire crews that provide expertise in long-term planning, ignitions, holding, prescribed fire preparation and implementation support, hazardous fuels reduction, and fire effects monitoring. With their help, fire fulfills its natural or historic role to meet resource and management objectives and create fire-adapted communities. Exotic Plants Monitoring in the Southern Plains and Chihuahuan Desert National parks, like other publicly managed lands, are deluged by new exotic species arriving through predictable (e.g., road, trail, and riparian corridors), sudden (e.g., long distance dispersal through cargo containers and air freight), and unexpected anthropogenic pathways (e.g., weed seeds mixed in with restoration planting mixes). Landscape with a uniform, green foreground consisting of invasive kochia Groundwater and Reservoir Level Monitoring at Amistad National Recreation Area Groundwater is one of the most critical natural resources in the American Southwest, including at Amistad National Recreation Area. It provides drinking water, irrigates crops, and sustains rivers, streams, and springs throughout the region. Groundwater interacts either directly or indirectly with all key ecosystem features of the arid Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion. The Chihuahuan Desert Network monitors groundwater at six wells on the park. A view of the reservoir and long bridge from a plant covered cliff. Climate Monitoring at Amistad National Recreation Area Climate is the primary driver of ecological processes on earth, affecting soil-water relationships, plant-soil interactions, plant productivity, cycling of nutrients and water in an ecosystem, and the occurrence and intensity of disturbances. The Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors climate over time at Amistad National Recreation Area to detect changes that could have cascading effects on park ecosystems. Two rounded clouds called lenticulars that look like space ships. Southwest River Environments In the arid Southwest, water means life, and prehistorically, rivers were the lifelines of the people. The Colorado River flowing through a canyon Southern Basin and Range The Southern Basin and Range is an extension of the Basin and Range Province centered on Nevada and the Great Basin and extending from southern Oregon to western Texas, and into northwest Mexico. Mountains and Desert in Guadalupe Mountains National Park Climate Monitoring in the Southern Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here. Kayaking across a fl ooded parking lot, Chickasaw NRA, July 2007. Springs Monitoring at Amistad National Recreation Area Springs are relatively rare but ecologically important natural resources in the American Southwest. Despite their small size, springs tend to be hot spots of biodiversity in arid lands. The Chihuahuan Desert Network monitors four sentinel springs at Amistad National Recreation Area to detect broad-scale changes in aquatic and riparian ecological condition that could pose a threat to these important resources. A pool of water with algae and surrounding overflow with vegetation. Series: Climate and Water Resource Monitoring at Amistad National Recreation Area Climate and water dramatically shape ecosystems, especially in arid and semi-arid places like Amistad National Recreation Area (NRA) in Texas. The reservoir at the park receives drainage from water basins in the U.S. and Mexico, including the Rio Grande, and Pecos and Devils rivers. A wide variety of plants and animals live in the park because it is in a transition zone between major life and climate zones. We monitor climate and water at the park to assess the condition of park ecosystems. A large body of water viewed through a break in desert trees and shrubs. Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Series: Chihuahuan Desert Network Reptile and Amphibian Inventories In 2003 and 2004, the University of Arizona conducted an inventory of reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna) in six National Park Service Chihuahuan Desert Network parks. Primary objectives of this inventory were to document reptile and amphibian species, map the distribution of all species found, and determine a rough relative abundance for each species. Trans-Pecos ratsnake Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. A Paleontological Survey at Amistad National Recreation Area: Swimming in the Mesozoic and Hunting in the Quaternary Paleontologist Christy Visaggi reflects on the fossil record preserved at Amistad National Recreation Area. three fossil snails Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background