TROCHET, JOHN 1989 Journal Junin Indian Reservation McKinley Co. New Mexico July 29 mammals: raccoon - track (crit) Chris - sp - track Rock squirrel - 2, WSR daydeagus - 2, NL #2 cygnus - 5, NL #2 July 30 Today I visited again the canyon below Blackrock Dam, which I described in yesterday's notes. I also spent some time scanning Blackrock Lake, but most of the day I spent in Blackrock Bosque. Blackrock Lake is a large impoundment backed up behind Blackrock Dam. Its surface area at present is about 40 hectares (maximal area about 3 times as great), with lots of ledges exposed on the west and south side. The emergent vegetation of the east & south sides is now stranded well away from the water. Beyond the lake to the east is the willow fringe on the west side of Blackrock Bosque. The Bosque is the largest cottonwood-willow woodland between Holbrook, Arizona on the W., the Rio Grande Valley on the E., the San Juan River to the N, and the Reserve area to the S. It is about 3/4 square mile in extent, and still enlarging. It has increased about 25% in size in the last decade, by presumed reservation. The dominant tree is Fremont cottonwood, growing 35-55' in height, never more 1-2 ft dbh. There are some really large-girthed trees against the Reservoir rimrock bordering the woodland on the N. Some of these are 4-5 ft dbh. Austin common crazy tree, particularly near the lake side of the Bosque, and also commonly along the course of the Junin River through the woods, is a tall willow (Bradbury's Willows? Black Willow?) which attains a height of 30-40 ft, multiple "trunks" being about 10-18" dbh. Key species are a couple exotic trees. Silver-leaf poplar grows in the NW part of the Bosque in a dense, expanding grove of 35 A.