Ancient Aquifer
Near Gorman, the foothills of the Tehachapi Mountains meet the San Andreas Fault zone. Here, water from an artesian spring reaches the surface and moves through an otherwise dry landscape, supporting an oasis of plant life. During the extraordinary bloom of 2003, the combination of water, wildflowers and surrounding hills gave the landscape an almost ethereal appearance.
There was a remarkable peace and tranquility to this place. An artesian spring seeped into the landscape, creating an oasis of life beneath the Tehachapi foothills while a prolific bloom of desert wildflowers added an ethereal glow to the scene.
The spring of 2003 became the last of Gorman’s great recurring blooms—the final extraordinary display in a landscape that had produced remarkable wildflower seasons for decades.
At the time this photograph was made, the landscape also faced proposed development on the surrounding hills and plans for groundwater extraction, storage and sale as bottled water. The contrast between the serenity of the scene and uncertainty over its future made the photograph especially meaningful.