Mountains and springs
November 2, 2009

As we drive this stretch of west Texas, the one that people love to hate, we find ourselves being intrigued, as we always are here, by the topography, the history, the vast emptiness that seems to somehow shed most of those people who tried to be here.





















As we left our night’s lodging (the Fort Stockton RV park, not to be confused with another there - the desolate Comanche RV park), I read a bit about the history, which has led us to conversation - we’ve run out of other diversions. We have felt ourselves winding down, not being quite as interested in our surroundings, passing photo ops that prevously would have gotten our attention. Coming to an awareness of that has spurred us into a renewed action, snapping shots of attractively-painted freeway abutments and distant mountains, even stopping on the Interstate’s shoulder to do so.

Today we will drive only about 275 miles and then remain for two nights in one place, a situation that Rowdy will surely welcome. He hid under the pillows this morning, his way of saying “enough is enough.”

Not too surprising - I have digressed. Back to the reading that informed us about Comanche Springs, the impetus for this area’s settlement and the former source of an astounding 80 million gallons of water flow daily. I am always fascinated by springs - hot and cold - they seem so magical. A water flow of that magnitude would naturally encourage settling in the area and mark a good travel route, which is what occurred.

History tells us the Anglo population required protection from the hostiles, thus was born Camp Stockton in 1858. The war between the states caused the Army to withdraw from 1861 until Fort Stockton came into being in 1867.

Near the fort, the town of St. Gall was established; in 1877, it became the first county seat of Pecos County. The town was later renamed Fort Stockton. The discovery of oil in 1926 caused the area to boom around Yates Field, the fourth largest oil reserve in the world (I had no idea!). Sadly, Comanche Springs ceased flowing in the 1950s, a casualty of drought and increased irrigation.

We have decided that we’d like to return to this area for a more extended stay and exploration. On an earlier trip, we visited the old Fort Stockton and its accompanying Annie Riggs Museum. To our delight, there was an event just beginning at the museum when we showed up. We were welcomed heartly and thoroughly enjoyed the program, interesting historical talks by various old-timers, even lunch.

While contemplating how a spring of such magnitude could completely dry up, I had to wonder why the not-too-far-distant Balmorhea Springs continues its amazing flow of fresh water. As usual when I have an out-loud wonder, Chris has an answer. In this case, he’s surmising based on his geologic knowledge that because Balmorhea is closer to the mountains, the probable source of the water when it’s still undergound, it is receiving its spring flow from the aquifer before it is depleted.

Balmorhea State Park is certainly one of the most stupendous places I’ve ever seen, an incredible 22 to 28 million gallons of water from San Solomon Spring gushing forth into a 77,053 square ft. pool that is tiled on the rim but natural below. It is a popular swimming and scuba diving hole with CCC-constructed bathhouses and other facilities. There are even endangered species of fish there; they can swim out of the pool into surrounding canals to spawn and do whatever endangered fish do.

Checking the Texas State Parks site, I learn the real skinny about the artesian flow: “The springs also fill a 'cienega' (desert wetland) and the canals of a refugium, home to endangered species of fish, assorted invertebrates, and turtles. The pool differs from most public pools in several respects: the 1 3/4-acre size, the 25-foot depth and the 72 to 76 degree constant temperature. It also has a variety of aquatic life in its clear waters. With a capacity of more than 3 1/2 million gallons, the pool has plenty of room for swimmers, while offering a unique setting for scuba and skin diving. “

The town of Balmorhea is a small place seemingly based on agriculture. On our first visits there, we enjoyed having an ice cream soda at the old-fashioned soda fountain; however, the last time we stopped for our treat, it had closed, much to our dismay.