Part Twelve: A hidden gem of wetland near the Texas border fence

A small swath of the valley is restored to resemble when the Rio Grande flourished, but as drought changes the land, it’ll take more work — and water

EL PASO —John Sproul, manager of the Rio Bosque Park, waters a young willow. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

Cattails grow in a dry wetland cell at the Rio Bosque Park along the U.S.-Mexico border. Due to high temperatures and drought, the cells cannot remain wet during much of the spring and summer. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

John Sproul and Sergio Samaniego fill buckets from a water bladder the morning of June 17, 2022. Sproul hauls the water to the park in his truck every other morning to water the cottonwood and willow saplings by hand, hoping they survive the harsh heat. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

An old struggling cottonwood at Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, the continuous drought is incredibly hard on all of the trees. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

A bed of cottonwood seeds. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

John Sproul carries buckets every few feet to water the cottonwoods. In mid-June, when the monsoons finally build up and burst over El Paso, a palpable relief is felt throughout the park. The wet of the earth and petrichor create a heady perfume. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

Algae and reeds grow within the shallow pools at Rio Bosque Park. These shallow pools are supplied by a nearby well pumping groundwater. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

Sproul is not alone in his work. Assistant Manager Sergio Samaniego now makes it a two-person operation. Plus, a host of volunteers helps clear cattails or plant cottonwoods. “I discovered a magical place,” he said, walking along the wetland cells, dried cattails rattling in the wind, occasionally raising his binoculars to watch for hawks. “Everything is interconnected. I see the importance of water and how rare it is,” Salmaniego said. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

Salmaniego and Sproul look out at owls roosting in man made structures built for them throughout the bosque. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

An insect in one of the shallow pools supplied by groundwater. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

Rio Bosque Park Manager John Sproul looks through dry cattails for signs of water flowing into the river channel. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)