[Aztlan] Crossing the Usu', ref Message 2, 4 Jan 2008

[Ronald.L.Canter at faa.gov]

David & Fiona,
      In reply to the 'Maya Qs' on the Rio Usumacinta, it is everywhere too
deep and swift to wade across, but it has always been easy to cross by
canoe anywhere except in its whitewater canyons.  Even in the canyons,
there are places where a competent boatman can ferry back and forth.
      If you are looking for a dramatic ferrying point, San Jose Los Rieles
II, within San Jose Canyon and 3 km below the San Jose Rapids, would fit
the bill.  So would the Piedras Negras landing at Roca de Sacrificios.
It's more dangerous to ferry across there at low water than at high water.

      On the hydrology, the river appears to have a present-day flow regime
similar to the Classic.  This will probably change as the watershed becomes
even more denuded, and/or global warming affects the regional climate.

      From the Usu's start at the junction of the Rios Pasion and
Chixoy/Salinas to Benemerito, it has changed course a lot, as meander scars
show.  Downstream, the modern course is very nearly the same as the ancient
course, at least as far as Boca del Cerro.  In the coastal lowlands there
have also been course changes over time.
      I commented on the 'bridge' in the PARI Usu' article and will leave
it at that.

Hope this answers some of your questions.
Ron



Message: 2
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 18:17:08 -0800 (PST)
From: David and Fiona Gray <davefiona at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Aztlan] Some Maya Q's
To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Message-ID: <562910.83249.qm at web50702.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi All,
         I read an old National Geographic about the suspension bridge at
Yaxchilan. From other things that I have read it seems that some think that
there was a bridge there and others think  that the data has been
misinterpreted.  They are yet to find the northern side of the   bridge. In
the story that I am writing I need a place for a small group of people to
cross the Usamacinta (sp) river. Are there any crossing places that Maya
use either today on in antiquity. Also what is the hydrological history of
the river has it course change much in the last 2000 years