Riparian Forest and River Meanders
Aerial Caswell Memorial State Park, near Manteca California.
March 1989
Caswell Memorial State Park along the Stanislaus River preserves a small remnant of the San Joaquin Valley's original riparian forest. Once described as extending up to ten miles in width in some places, only a few percent of these original forests remain in this modern landscape now dominated by agriculture.

The park also preserves some of the original flood plain topography including meander scars, and oxbows.
Photography by
Dr. Sharon Johnson
drsharonjohnson@comcast.net
Imagery & site design by
Kat G. Kalamaras