See Other Photo Versions

Description: The eddies at the base of the drop below the big falls were filled with these deep bubbles. While in the eddy for safety, I noticed that the temperature inside the bubbles was vastly warmer than the outside air. Big Bear, like all palouse prairie drainages, drops through horribly managed farms where cows are grazed IN the streams all year. The streams have almost no flow for much of the year, and when they come up the pastures flush massive amounts of waste down into the canyons. The falls provide oxygen and mixing for bacteria to chow down on the cow slurry, and the warm foam is a by-product.

Author:	Zak Sears		River:	Big Bear, ID
Subject:	Kevin Colburn		Rapid:
Date:	1/14/06		Level:	2000
Size:	146.46KB		Format:	jpeg
AW Photo ID:	13202		AW Reach ID:

Level Legend:

Running

Below Minimum Recommended Flow

Above Maximum Recommended Flow

Unknown

Descriptions of reaches with River Name in bold have been verified by a regional StreamTeam member.

State	River Name/Section	Class	Level	Rel. Level	Updated
ID	Big Bear— Highway 8 Bridge (West of Deary) to Kendrick High School	IV-V	16 cfs	low	10/6 8:15

Air Temp 37, Cow Foam Temp 65!