Vegetation. !

The super bloom is now dying back. Fire risk. !

 The vegetation is turning brown.

 How to remove a fire risk. ?

 Pretty intense, !

 This how it looks close up.

 It really is a mega fire risk when dry.

 Lukas saying hello to the dogs.

 

Recent Publicity

These first two articles were written by Chloe Glover, from Malaga, for "The Olive Press". Thank you Chloe.

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2017/04/29/ecocide-super-intensive-olive-farms-fingered-water-shortages-spain/ 

and:

 http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2017/04/29/oasis-hope-oro-del-desierto-olive-groves-ethos-sustainable-solution-almerias-superintensive-olive-farms-crisis/

This following link refers to a Denuncio raised by Ecologists in Action against what appears to be an illegal bore hole.  It has been lodged with the Prosecutor's office in Almeria;

http://www.europapress.es/andalucia/almeria-00350/noticia-denuncian-fiscalia-posible-captacion-irregular-acuifero-rio-aguas-20170501100922.html 

We are "on the case". 

Levels on the Irrigation Line

Quite simple really. Water always finds it's own level so we have ensured water to Nature when the line is full. The Line is approximately one kilometer long. !

At this level we are  at absolute minimum.  Reason. ROOTS. !

We cut this pipe to minimum level - water is still flowing to the village. This pipe feeds Nature beside the Irrigation Line.

 Roots removed and, once again, very high level, in fact, FULL.

 Another FULL photo. ! When this tank is full we know that the first 750 meters of the Irrigation Line are clean and flowing well.

 

Antonio's new wall

This will last a few hundred years. Good work the two Honsas and Antonio.

The wall is opposite The Pita Escuela and collapsed in the December rains.

 

Laying new pipe work for the Irrigation Line.

We are digging along to an old pipe laid about 20 years ago. It needs to be re-laid as it runs six centimeters up hill. Not serious. Our new pipes are carefully laid up to this point and are running full. 

The old pipe was and is delivering sufficient water to the village.

We will make an access point here.

 Wet and muddy. I am in the ditch and Errol is on the bank.

 Passing the mud container.

 Passing out the mud container. !

 Errol in and David out. !

Errol and Lukas passing drain cleaning rods through the old pipe. Dashinka watching. !

 Errol pushing the cleaning rods through the pipe.

 

Desert Super Bloom

The rain in December has created a Super Bloom in our semi-arid environment. Here are some pictures from my daily dog walks.

 Past the  El Rio Spring towards Sorbas

Our Oasis

 In our Oasis

 Oasis

 Looking down at the village from the mountain.

 On the mountain

 On the plateau looking across ancient terraces

The dry land terrace on the other side of the river opposite the village of El Rio.

 Up in the mountains above the Nacamiento, (Spring), of El Rio

 A beautiful valley in the mountains.

 On the flood plain at the mouth of El Rio.

 Walking towards Sorbas

 Blondina looking good.!

 Carpets of flowers. !

 Hi there Errol. !

 Towards the old Mill House at the top of the valley.

 Special effects. Favi and Fidel in the flowers.

You Tube of my presentation in Geneva at the UN.

Digging Again. Laying a Pipe Line

We are laying this pipe in the highest part of the Irrigation Line.

 We have to be very careful to keep a good level.

 Errol and Lukas fine tuning the level.

 Next week we must dig back and expose the end of a  buried pipe which we need to join on to.

 18 meters laid so far. Not quite half way. Going well.

61.8 litres per square meter

Wow. We got the rain. 61.8 mm. It was not too extreme and balanced out over two days thus mimimizing potential flood damage.

 Now, that's a good flow. !

 A small flood.

 

Fiesta Salva El Agua - Save the Water

This was a well attended fiesta - I would say our best - excellent organization by "Sunseed" and lighting by David and Errol.

 Moon Glow

 The Almeria band Yakunde - Excellent Reggae style.

 Victor - A song for El Rio

 Blondina and Fidel checking out the crowd. !

 Lise and Jonathon - Great bar work

 GRACIAS a la Plataforma en Defensa Del Acuífero del Río de Aguas por la organización, 

Acuíferos Vivos por la colaboración y a José María Calaforra y Andrés Pérez por sus rutas reivindicativas. 

GRACIAS a Errol Dreilinger y David Dene por esta increíble iluminación y a David Dene y Graham Turner por la electricidad que la puso en marcha. 

GRACIAS a Sunseed Desert Technology por la comida y sus esfuerzos en todos los sentidos, al equipo de la Casa El Mirador de Los Molinos por el montaje de la exposición de fotografías y a Ion Holban por su documentación fotográfica sobre la maravillosa y amenazada fauna que convive en el Valle del Rio Aguas.

GRACIAS a DJ Jeff por la música y el ambiente del domo, a Honsa y Silvie Lessyova por el espacio del Tipi, a los artesanos por la creación de un mercadillo colorido, a Cervezas de los Filabres por su cerveza artesanal de Velefique.

Gracias al grupo de teatro Antagon TheaterAKTion por su espectacular actuación y animación del público, a la Cuadrilla de Folclore del Maestro Gálve por su música tradicional.

Gracias  a los Piratas de Cabogata por su música Rock. 

Gracias a Jorge Yakunde y su banda por su vibrante Reggae de corazón.