The summer low

July and August typically deny our little river of precipitation. It has a relatively small watershed, so the water level is victim the short-term whims of seasonal snowmelt and rainfall (or lack thereof). Currently, the river bed is nearly parched. It's now hard to imagine this little trickle as the seed for a flood. Few fish and even fewer beavers are migrating upstream from the Red River of the North anymore. The water is just too shallow. The conditions are perfect, however, for wading. On a hot day, the sand and silt sparkle under a thin watery lens and provide a cool refuge for bare feet. Chasing minnows, following animal tracks, and collecting smooth stones are all part of summer on the river.