Wabash River at lowest flow 2012

This is a view of the Wabash River at Mascouten Park, August 4, 2012.  The river is very low due to the drought this summer, measured at just under 1.0 ft. at the Lafayette gauging station.  The river started rising slightly soon after this picture was taken, and recent rains make it likely that this will be the lowest level of the river for 2012.  The big gravel bar in the picture is the delta formed by Happy Hollow creek entering the river.  Normally it is mostly under water. 

Link to Wabash River levels:

The picture below is a view of the boat ramp at Mascouten Park, same day, August 4.  The river is totally cut off from the boat ramp. 

Green milkweed

Asclepias hirtella, one of the green milkweeds, at Kankakee Sands prairie restoration in Newton County.

Picture taken July 21, 2012.

Link to Asclepias hirtella:

Link to Asclepias hirtella: 

 Link to Asclepias hirtella:

New Jersey tea

New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), at Kankakee Sands prairie in Newton County.  Picture taken July 20, 2012.

Link to Ceanothus americanus:

Prickly pear cactus

Our native prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa), at the Kankakee Sands prairie restoration in Newton County.  This sandy soil was once the lake bed of the shallow Beaver Lake.  Pictures taken July 20, 2012.
 
Link to previous post on Opuntia humifusa:

Ruellia humilis

Ruellia humilis, at the same roadside prairie remnant in Benton County as the leadplant in the previous post.  Picture taken July 20, 2012.

Link to Ruellia humilis:

Link to Ruellia humilis:

Leadplant

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens).  Only remnants remain of the vast prairie that stretched westward into Illinois.  This leadplant persists with other prairie vegetation along a narrow strip of land in Benton County between US Highway 52 and the railroad tracks parallel to it.  This spot is somewhere west of Otterbein. Picture taken July 20, 2012.

Link to Amorpha canescens:

Link to Amorpha canescens:

Link to Amorpha canescens:

Blue Vervain

Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) grows at the edge of the north wetland at Celery Bog Park.  The standing water has receded from the edge of the wetland due to the dry season but the soil here is still moist.

Pictures taken July 15, 2012.

Link to Verbena hastata:

Link to Verbena hastata: