nazSTUFF - Intuitive Hiker, Ancient Water Catchment

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Intuitive Hiker Journal Reports

"Northern Arizona Experience" - CLICK ON ANY IMAGE for more information and design details. Make changes.

Dear Reader... This is an interpretive series of pages taken from the personal journal of Mr. JH Thomas. For over 25 years Mr. Thomas hiked, explored and photographed the limestone canyons and vicinity of northern Arizona. As a result he recorded several scientific "firsts" in archaeology regarding the activities of the ancient people we now call Sinagua. He also acquired some basic knowledge of local geology, the native plants and wildlife. It is a pleasure to present some of these observations in this format. Sincerely, John Vroom, Editor

Ancient Sinagua Water Catchment and Storage

Throughout human history, rivers and drainage systems have always served as an attraction for settlement, mobility and land use. And in the case of the Sinagua of northern Arizona - agriculture.

This is a photo taken in 2005 in a local basalt canyon after a monsoon rain. This water could easily be collected and allowed to settle in caramic pots until clear.

This report, however, is about a recent discovery of a water catchment device, a natural water basin, enhanced and decorated by ancient people who once lived here. During mapping of nearby ruins and artifacts recently Thomas came across a natural storm drain with some interesting features.

At first it seemed no more than the usual stage of a stream bed where water would flow more slowly before tumbling down the next rocky rapids or waterfall. Years of flooding have deposited alluvian soil creating false banks on each side where abundant grass grows today. But observation is the key, from every angle.

Standing above the basin made it apparent that it isn't so natural.

Walking downstream and looking back made it apparent what was going on. An ancient stone dam, not unlike a ruin masonry wall, was mostly still intact. This had clearly been a retaining wall to capture water. Over the centuries a small portion of the dam has eroded away, some of the stones still lying in the stream bed. Even the part that is left is still three feet high and at least three feet thick. One course of stacked stones is visible. More are probably buried inside the dirt berm that makes up the dam structure. This is a neat feat of engineering and a perfect exploitation of natural topography.

The real signature however that convinced Thomas that this was an authentic and ancient place are the various petroglyphs pecked into the basalt stone face just above where the water pool would have been. Thomas has found petroglyphs carved above water basins many times (see article on Keyhole Sink). One of the images actually mimics a water newt or salamander floating at the edge of the pool. Did a person "see" this and carve its representation?

Neveretheless, this is what they confirmed.

A level string was strung from the top of the dam upstream until it hit the incoming rocks. Various measurements of the width were taken and averaged. The same was done for the depth. This yielded a cube of 25 feet long, an average of five feet wide and an average depth of 18 inches.

This produces a volume of 187.5 cubic feet.

There is approximately seven and a half gallons of water in a cubic foot. So this basin, in the condition it is today would hold back about 1400 gallons of water when full. If the alluvial deposits were removed this tank would easily store 2000 gallons of water. This seems like a substantial element in ancient Sinagua life. Evidence of several once occupied ruins are nearby this discovery, which is now part of the permanent record.

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