Loading...
Wide Awake
Ladonia Fossil Park Preserves Hobby -- For Now
The planners of Lake Ralph Hall and citizens of Ladonia are to be commended on the inclusion of a newly relocated Ladonia Fossil Park in the planning of recreational activities surrounding the soon-to-be-filled reservoir along North Sulphur River. The river is well-known for its fossil-hunting opportunities, and over the years it has turned out some impressive specimens, including a few complete dinosaur skeletons, most often the mosasaur. A mastadon or two has also been found in the eroding banks of Sulphur among the very sediments that have made the river such a popular place to find fossils in North Texas.
Most people in the area have a specimen or two taken from the river, and more than one has been delivered to Roxton by those hauling gravel to build driveways. Indeed, Sulphur River is a treasure when it comes to fossils of various sorts, and thanks to those who pushed for the new fossil park, it will continue to attract visitors from all over the area. But there is one problem with the park that will probably only be noticed by the serious professional and amateur paleontologists that frequent the area.
The Ladonia Fossil Park is located a short distance below the Lake Ralph Hall dam, and it is not particularly large. For that reason, in short order, the fossils present in the area will be “picked over.” It will become increasingly difficult to find a fossil of any size. And the area where the park is located is not going to be one that is prone to resupplying itself from the banks of the river.
The erosion just below the dam will be minimal, and even smaller fossils won’t be washed from upstream as the lake and dam will prevent swiftly running waters. Anyone who has ever walked Sulphur River in search of fossils knows that the occasional floods and heavy erosion of the banks is what makes the location such a great fossil hunting area. That erosion, to the pleasure of many surrounding landowners, will be greatly reduced, and new fossils will not be unearthed as frequently. Likewise, we don’t know how much water will be released from the Lake Ralph Hall dam. Will the river bottom remain shallow enough for people to hunt fossils?
In any event, going forward, those who are serious about finding fossils in Sulphur River are going to have to plan to get some distance between themselves and the heavily used fossil park. The park will provide a good parking and access point for the river, but it’s going to be locations downstream where the best fossil hunting will be found. This is probably going to lead to a lot of ATVs accessing the river from the park, something the park’s planners may not have considered. And we shouldn’t forget another reservoir along Sulphur is already being planned to border Red River County and the southeast corner of Lamar County. If it comes to fruition, the fossil hunting area of the river will become even more condensed.
No, despite the benefits reservoirs along Sulphur River may have for the water supplies of communities far away from the area, and despite the reduced erosion that will please farmers who own property along the riverbanks, these reservoirs are not going to be a positive for area fossil hunters. In fact, it may be the end of an era. But thanks to the Ladonia Fossil Park, at least visitors will be reminded of a day when Sulphur River was a highly attractive paleontology resource for both amateurs and scientists alike.
The planners of Lake Ralph Hall and citizens of Ladonia are to be commended on the inclusion of a newly relocated Ladonia Fossil Park in the planning of recreational activities surrounding the soon-to-be-filled reservoir along North Sulphur River. The river is well-known for its fossil-hunting opportunities, and over the years it has turned out some impressive specimens, including a few complete dinosaur skeletons, most often the mosasaur. A mastadon or two has also been found in the eroding banks of Sulphur among the very sediments that have made the river such a popular place to find fossils in North Texas.
Most people in the area have a specimen or two taken from the river, and more than one has been delivered to Roxton by those hauling gravel to build driveways. Indeed, Sulphur River is a treasure when it comes to fossils of various sorts, and thanks to those who pushed for the new fossil park, it will continue to attract visitors from all over the area. But there is one problem with the park that will probably only be noticed by the serious professional and amateur paleontologists that frequent the area.
The Ladonia Fossil Park is located a short distance below the Lake Ralph Hall dam, and it is not particularly large. For that reason, in short order, the fossils present in the area will be “picked over.” It will become increasingly difficult to find a fossil of any size. And the area where the park is located is not going to be one that is prone to resupplying itself from the banks of the river.
The erosion just below the dam will be minimal, and even smaller fossils won’t be washed from upstream as the lake and dam will prevent swiftly running waters. Anyone who has ever walked Sulphur River in search of fossils knows that the occasional floods and heavy erosion of the banks is what makes the location such a great fossil hunting area. That erosion, to the pleasure of many surrounding landowners, will be greatly reduced, and new fossils will not be unearthed as frequently. Likewise, we don’t know how much water will be released from the Lake Ralph Hall dam. Will the river bottom remain shallow enough for people to hunt fossils?
In any event, going forward, those who are serious about finding fossils in Sulphur River are going to have to plan to get some distance between themselves and the heavily used fossil park. The park will provide a good parking and access point for the river, but it’s going to be locations downstream where the best fossil hunting will be found. This is probably going to lead to a lot of ATVs accessing the river from the park, something the park’s planners may not have considered. And we shouldn’t forget another reservoir along Sulphur is already being planned to border Red River County and the southeast corner of Lamar County. If it comes to fruition, the fossil hunting area of the river will become even more condensed.
No, despite the benefits reservoirs along Sulphur River may have for the water supplies of communities far away from the area, and despite the reduced erosion that will please farmers who own property along the riverbanks, these reservoirs are not going to be a positive for area fossil hunters. In fact, it may be the end of an era. But thanks to the Ladonia Fossil Park, at least visitors will be reminded of a day when Sulphur River was a highly attractive paleontology resource for both amateurs and scientists alike.