General Awareness: Small amounts of rain were received most days in the past week.  A heavy thunderstorm last evening, Saturday August 1 at approximately 1855-2000 MDT, provided 0.70 inch of rain.  The intense rain reduced visibility to approximately 0.25 mile from approximately 1900-1910 MDT.  We totaled 0.87 inch of rain during this reporting period.  Last night’s rain gave us a sizable kickstart  to the August MTD numbers: 0.75 inch total, which is  +0.54 inch above and 359% of the NOAA August MTD normal and +0.52 inch above and 325% of the PRISM August MTD normal.  YTD numbers are now 8.36 inches total, which is +0.03 inch above and 100% of the NOAA YTD normal but -1.35 inches below and 86% of the PRISM normal.  We closed out July with a total of 3.31 inches of rain, -0.04 inch below and 99% of the NOAA July MTD normal and -0.31 inch below and 91% of the PRISM July MTD normal.   After last night’s downpour the soil remains damp in texture.  I continue to classify our station condition as MILDLY WET. 
Fire:  Identical to my last report - BLM posts the Fire Hazard to MODERATE at the Fort Stanton Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area (closest border approx 1.6 miles ENE of my location). No new fire activity has been reported within the local area of my station.  A few small fires have occurred in Lincoln County in the past week.  Fortunately all of these have been quickly contained and extinguished thanks to the swift responses of the various fire departments.    An open flame burn ban remains in effect for Lincoln County. 
Plants & Wildlife:   Our indigenous grasses are fully green and are becoming very tall.  Identical to my last report - deer, elk, bunny and jack rabbits, wild turkeys, humming birds, and other migratory and indigenous birds observed on our property appeared healthy and normal. Numerous young deer, young elk and young turkeys have been spotted.  Bats have also been observed flying around our house after dark.  
Water Supply & Quality:  The debris which had almost fully dammed up the West side of the Box Canyon Trail Bridge culvert where I normally make my river level observations was cleared during the past week.  The water level was observed as SLIGHTLY LOW, with a mild but audible flow, when observed at this location today Sunday 02 August at approximately 1530 MDT.  (Box Canyon Trail Bridge location from Google Earth: 33.4599993 N 105.6052082 W elevation 6596 feet. Rio Bonito is a primary watershed tributary from the Sierra Blanca, Lookout and Buck Mountains, approximately 12 miles SW-WSW of my location, and feeds our local aquafer)