My
visit to Anzalduas County Park began with a short drive along the top
of the levee that borders the park to the north. The south border
is formed by the Rio Grande River. This new bridge crosses two
levees, a flood control area (shown here under the bridge), and finally
the Rio Grande. |
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This
view looks south toward the river. It's an incredibly long bridge
that will carry truck traffic between maquiladores in Mexico and
warehouses in Texas. |
 From
Anzalduas County Park visitors can see both the up and down river sides
of the Anzalduas dam. Mexican and American flags at the top of
the dam mark the border between the two countries.
According to documents at http://www.ibwc.state.gov
the dam along with a system of levees from El Paso to the mouth of the
river was built to constrain river meandering (movement of the
international boundary). |
 The
gates are open to facilitate downriver irrigation for both American and
Mexican farmers. Thousands of miles of channels and underground
pipes provide water for the citrus and vegetable industries of the Rio
Grande Valley.
|
 Mexican
fishermen struggling against the current reminded me of fishermen
at the Sixth Street dam on the Grand River in Grand Rapids,
MI during the steelhead run.
The differences here are that the water is much warmer, there are no steelhead, and there are no American fishermen. It's
widely rumored that raw sewage is allowed to enter the river on the
Mexican side, but it doesn't seem to bother the Mexican people.
They fish, swim and play in the filthy water. |
 It
appears that fishing is a family activity here. Men, women and
children climb down the rubble strewn bank just below the dam.
The water currents are treacherous and powerful. |
 A
couple hundred yards downstream fishermen using nets seemed to be
catching more fish. Every time this guy pulled in his net his
companion pulled one or two fish out of the net and placed them in the
mesh sack he was carrying.
|
 The
many paths to the river indicate the popularity of this park.
Although there was not a large number of people visiting today,
there were many more on the Mexican side than the American side.
|
 The
up river side of the dam contains an impoundment where the water
movement is much slower. I expected to see a wide lake, but the
water retains the characteristics of a river, long and relatively
narrow.
|
 The
river bank here looks like a veritable cesspool. Muck and debris
litter the full length of the river. It's worse in some places
than others.
|
 Deflated
inner tubes along the waterway give testament to the huge numbers of
illegal immigrants into the U.S. It takes an incredible amount of
determination to brave the muck and filth to get to solid ground on the
American side.
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 Mexican park and playground as seen from the undeveloped area of Anzalduas County Park on the American side.
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 It appears there are many families who use the park in Mexico. It was surprising to see so many people on a weekday.
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 Often,
we associate Mexico with poverty, but there are many Mexicans who can
afford expensive water toys, nice cars and beautiful homes - more than
we would normally think. In this part of the Rio Grande Valley,
there is a wealth of natural gas. In the Mexican town of Zapata
there is an inordinate number of millionaire property owners.
|
 Anzalduas
County Park, on the Texas side of the river, is beautiful. The
undeveloped portion of the park, shown here, lies between the levee and
the river. I especially like the gently rolling hills and small
stands of shade trees.
|
 Mesquite
Trees are particularly interesting because of the way they twist and
turn, form arches, shile others stand up straight, and they all produce
the most beautiful green leaves.
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 This is a nice place to sit in the shade and appreciate being in the great outdoors.
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 Arizona Ash Trees covered with Spanish Moss attest to the sub-tropical climate of Anzalduas Park and south Texas
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