Introduction

SFAP in 2002

	View toward the west (A). 1 - Nature Conservancy barn and shop, 2 - distributary channel of Blood Creek, 3 - sewage treatment plant for city of Hoisington, 4 - edge of Blood Creek delta, 5 cattail marsh. The dark stripes on the edge of the delta are newly excavated artificial potholes.
	View toward the northeast showing the two main lake/marsh complexes separated by a footpath (A). Agricultural fields can be seen in the far background.
	View toward the north showing the inlet of Deception Creek, a minor source for surface-water inflow from the north. Blood Creek is the major source for surface-water inflow to Cheyenne Bottoms from the west (A).
	Near-vertical view of surface features. 1 - moist mudflat, 2 - dry mudflat with salt accumulation, 3 - cattail marsh. Moist mudflats are favored habitat for shorebird feeding. Notice the distinctive cattle trails in the dry mudflat (A).
	Near-vertical view of cattail marsh and moist mudflat surrounded by shallow lake. Some cattails are flattened, presumably because of strong wind gusts (A).
	View toward the south over Pool 2 of the state wildlife area (E). Surface water flows from the Nature Conservancy land into the pool from the northwest (right), as marked in the lower-right portion of this view. A dike is visible in the far left background.

April, 2002 -- A second round of kite aerial photographs was taken on April 14, 2002. Dry conditions continued, and most vegetation remained dormant, although some cool-season grass was beginning to green up. Oblique pictures were taken to overview the central and northern portions of the Nature Conservancy land. Vertical views were acquired over an old agricultural field that is undergoing wetland restoration. In this field, numerous artificial potholes have been excavated in various sizes and shapes. The intent is to monitor the progressive development of these potholes and to evaluate their success in attracting shorebirds. The nature of soil and vegetation in this field is the subject of ongoing investigations.

Series of overlapping pictures in the northern portion of the Nature Conservancy land (B). Views toward the northwest and north showing Deception Creek and its delta in the lake/marsh complex. Agricultural fields are visible in the background, and a fence has collected debris where it crosses Deception Creek. The creek is the main source for surface inflow in this portion of the wetland.

	View toward the southeast over the central portion of the Nature Conservancy land. Hay mowing is a management technique for wet meadows, as depicted in the foreground (A).
	Vertical view of artificial pothole in experimental field (C). Two people stand in the nearly dry pothole. The brushy vegetation to right marks the pile of dirt excavated from the pothole. Notice the curved mowing pattern around the pothole. Also note subtle, parallel stripes that cross the scene from left to right.
	Vertical view of artificial potholes in experimental field (C). Two people stand in small, dry pothole to left. Three distinct patterns are visible around the potholes: curved tracks from mowing, irregular small spots marking animal burrows, and broad, parallel stripes. The latter presumably reflect former agricultural land use.

May, 2002 -- Following the onset of spring rains, KAP was conducted again on May 28, 2002. Water pools were full to nominal levels, mudflats were submerged, and cattail beds were green with new growth. Owing to weak wind, only the lightest KAP rig could be utilized with normal-color film. Photographs were acquired at the large lake/marsh complex in the northern portion of the Nature Conservancy land. KAP was also conducted in the southern section next to the state wildlife area.

	View toward northwest over the large lake/marsh complex in northern portion of Nature Conservancy land (A). City of Hoisington in background; compare with first image (March) above.
	View toward north over the large lake/marsh complex in northern portion of Nature Conservancy land (A). Deception Creek enters the upper center of scene, and the lake drains via the channel in upper right corner of view.
	Vertical view over northern lake/march complex showing open water and cattail beds (A).
	View toward the southeast from the northern portion of the Nature Conservancy land (A). Part of the state wildlife area is visible to upper left--large water pool. The purple dot to upper right indicates location of next series of SFAP images in the southern portion of the Nature Conservancy land (D).
	Southern portion of the Nature Conservancy land (D). View toward the southeast shows large pools of the state wildlife area in distance. Kite flyers are located near bottom of scene.
	Human modification of drainage is clearly evident in this view to the southwest over private land (D). The curious hook-shaped water channel was dredged to create a road and platform for an oil well.
	View toward the northwest depicts distributary channels of Blood Creek meandering across a delta in the western portion of the bottoms (D). City of Hoisington in the far background.
	View toward north (D). Purple dot in upper left indicates location for SFAP in northern portion of the Nature Conservancy land (A).

SFAP field crew, from left to right: J. Zupancic, R. Penner, S.W. Aber and J.S. Aber (3/02).

SFAP in 2003

Late winter Before rain
	View toward northeast over mostly dry cattail beds and mudflats. Note dust blowing in the right distance. Compare with picture of Deception Creek delta below.
	View toward the northwest. A residual pool of water is surrounded by dry mudflats and cattail beds.
	Closeup view of completely dry mudflats and cattail beds.
Early spring After rain
	Oblique view toward the southeast, late March, 2003, following heavy rain and runoff. Notice abundance of shallow water in wet meadows. The paths in foreground are cattle trails through cattail beds. The state wildlife area pools are visible on the left horizon.
	Oblique view toward the north, late March, 2003, following heavy rain and runoff. Deception Creek is visible in top center. Note extremely muddy water in the marsh around the small delta, where the creek flows into the marsh.
	Vertical view over cattail marsh. A - clean water surrounded by cattail beds, B - muddy water washed in via Deception Creek, C - dormant cattails with numerous cattle trails. The effect of water filtration by cattails beds is conspicuous.

June, 2003 -- Airphotos were acquired from a small helium blimp in late spring under nearly windless conditions at sites A and B. Both color-visible and color-infrared images were taken. The color-infrared images depict active vegetation in pink and red hues. By this time in the season, flood water of early spring had drained away or evaporated, and bare mud flats were beginning to appear around the margins of marshes. The images reveal that most of the cattails beds had not recovered from the drought of the preceding year.

Left: inflating the blimp with helium and preparing it for launch. Right: blimp in flight with camera rig suspended from its keel.

	View toward the northwest with the city of Hoisington on the horizon (A). 1 - distributary channel of Blood Creek, 2 - sewage treatment plant for Hoisington, 3 - access road to Nature Conservancy land. Clearwater pool is located to right (north) of road.
	View toward north over Clearwater pool (A). 1 - Deception Creek, 2 - delta of Deception Creek, 3 - dead cattails, 4 - live cattails. Large portions of the cattail beds were killed during the drought of 2002; cattails survived only along the fringes of the beds.
	Color-infrared overview (A) of cattail beds, most of which died during drought of last year. Cattails are growing actively only in a narrow (red) fringe between the dead beds (pale cyan) and open water (dark blue). Compare with image above.
	View toward the northeast over the nature trail (A). Deception Creek and its delta are visible in upper left portion of this scene. Also seen is the artificial drainage channel (*) between the upper (left) and lower (right) portions of the marsh complex. Plans are underway to close this channel in order to restore a more-natural overland drainage pattern.
	Color-infrared view toward northeast over the nature trail. Deception Creek enters the marsh at upper left corner of scene. Compare with image above.
	Closeup view of Deception Creek (upper right) and its delta (lower left) from site B. In this scene, water in the creek does not reach the delta, which is relatively dry, but this creek experienced a significant flood in late March of this year.