Tree Roots Exposed

Like I mentioned yesterday, my family and I were enjoying the nice weather at Shawnee Mission Park over the weekend. We stopped by the river that runs through the park and I snapped this picture of some trees at the water’s edge. I know the height of the river changes often depending on the amount of rain that we receive. (I’ve seen grass laying down from the force of the water when it’s been full.)

I thought it incredible that these trees are able to stay standing so close to the water's edge. The majority of a tree’s root system is in the upper 10-12” of soil. The roots of these trees are very exposed because of the soil being washed away over the years. You can see that the trees closest to the river's edge are starting to lean over the river. Eventually enough soil will wash away and they will fall into the water below.