Permanent Aquatic Environments
Permanent aquatic environments are bodies of water which do not dry up and so are always present. They include rivers, wetlands, mountain streams, lakes, permanent desert pools and springs, and more recently, reservoirs and other man-made bodies of water. As in most areas of the earth, permanent aquatic environments provide homes to fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and waterfowl, and the young of amphibians. They also give much needed water to many other animals and plants that pass through or live in riparian areas. However, in the desert where these environments are more rare than elsewhere, they are also more precious.
The Chihuahuan Desert contains two major rivers, the Rio Grande and the Pecos. It contains a world famous wetlands, the Bosque del Apache, to which people come from around the country to see the annual flight of the cranes. The desert also has several small oasises with permanent pools, and one well-known oasis in Mexico called Cuatro Ciénegas Basin. And there are many small mountain streams and pools at higher elevations.
Human need has altered the shape of the permanent aquatic environments in New Mexico. For example, the Rio Grande, once a mighty river running throughout New Mexico, is now a temporary aquatic environment in its southern range because of the dam that created Elephant Butte Reservoir. And pollution in the rivers and streams, caused by human activities, has seriously undermined certain permanent aquatic environments. Yet the reservoirs themselves provide new lake-like habitats that once did not exist, and which provides water for many species. All of these changes have affected the plants and animals which depend on these waters for life. For example, fish which favor quick moving, clear waters have been adversely affected by the changes in the rivers and streams, while species like the brown trout, which are more adaptable, have thrived.
Permanent aquatic environments are critical to the survival of plants and animals in and around the desert. They are also critical to the well being of mankind, providing drinking water, water for crops, and places of leisure and enjoyment. The original desert cities, both in North America and around the world, were built around permanent aquatic environments. Currently, these bodies of water are places of relaxation on weekends for thousands of human beings who fish, and go boating and swimming. However, lately more people have begun to weigh the effects of our construction and usage on these habitats. In order for the desert ecosystem to thrive, we need to assure the well-being of these permanent aquatic environments that so many species depend upon for life.