SPACEPHOTOS

Featured in this photograph is the east-flowing Rio Grande as it disappears southeast of Falcon Reservoir, southeast of which is M. R. Gomez Reservoir on the Mexican side of the border. The highly reflective area on the United States side of the Rio Grande (middle of photograph) shows relatively large, rectangular cultivated fields that produce a variety of crops grown on the flat, fertile, irrigated fields on the Rio Grande floodplain and delta. The areas unsuitable for agriculture consist of dry, sandy soils; scrub trees; sparse grass; and cactus. Many sand dunes are covered by vegetation that stabilizes some of the sand. A small section of the Laguna Madre and South Padre Island are visible (upper right corner).