This September, the Palo Verde wetland was clear enough to easily see to the bottom where there were no macrophytes present blocking the sunlight.  This phenomenon is in sharp contrast to what is observed early in the wet season, when tannins and other darkening pigments are leached into the waters from copious amounts of decomposing organic matter and the wetland water appears almost black.

As a result, lily stems can be seen and traced to their origin.