Next Step?

The gabion seen in the photo below has done its job of maintaining the driveway ground level. 

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Now the problem moves down-steam as the water during flash-floods works around the sides of the dam with high velocity resulting in erosion and begin under-cutting the rock apron as seen in the photo below.

A close-up of the rock apron showing debris from over-flow during flash floods.

Side angle photo of the gabion (left side of photo below), showing the stabilized driveway.

Nice sand build-up after each summer monsoon season (photo below) which I can use as a 'local' resource when mixing cement or other around the property uses.  Downstream of the gabion you can see the eroded wash which acts to remove water off the property too quickly.  Thus additional gabions are required to slow and spread-out the water flow.

The next step is to build a second gabion by the large tree in the top-center of the (above photo).  Over time the sediment will fill in between the gabion here in the foreground and the second gabion to be constructed by the tree.  In the meantime the ponding water between the two gabions will serve to 're-charge' the aquifer and water the surrounding Mesquite Bosque.

For additional details of construction of this gabion, scroll down and view earlier postings.