01-Sep-2004 -- This is just a large gravel plain (artificially graded to exploit the gravel) with a few acacia trees. We reached the confluence point directly with a 4x4 and access was very easy. We also left some kind of a 'geocache' buried at the marker.
Not far from the confluence point are some of the famous (artificial) 'Green Dunes' of al-Khazna Palace, which are not rare in the al-`Ayn area and certainly use up a wealth of irrigation water.
Coordinator's Note: A comparison with the first visit to this Confluence 3 years before reveals a dramatic transformation of the area around this spot. While being an undulating sandy landscape with patches of vegetation afore, obviously not long ago, all the sand has been deeply removed, leaving a giant gravel plain as flat as a pancake. This is a rather sad but very impressive example that it may pay off to revisit an already visited Confluence - surprises are always possible! And the DCP may serve in documenting the change of the Earth's surface exemplarily.