“The Dammed Rivers”

Artist Statement

This series of work represents the Colorado River headwaters, free flowing and the dammed. Overlaid on top of each image are drawings of the creeks and streams that free flow through the mountains and valleys; the life line for our rivers and water supply.

As an avid whitewater boater, I have been witness to the devastating impacts of the dammed rivers of the West. Rivers unable to flow for years because of water right allocations, massive fish kills in rivers too warm for aquatic life and the largest reservoir in Colorado drained  of 36,000-acre feet of water to maintain Lake Powell’s hydroelectric power plant.

  I view dams as the rivers purgatory, flowing into the stagnating moment of death with the possibility of another chance at life through and past the damn, only to be captured again downstream.

These images evoke a chaoticness that stays true to the nature of whitewater, climate change and human impact.

Crested Butte Artist Enrichment Grant

"The Dammed Rivers" is a project I conceptualized in the summer of 2023 and developed 2 images as drafts for this ongoing visual series. This series explores the juxtaposition of life in the high Rockies, a crucial water source for the Western United States, and the impact of human-made dams on local waterways. Overlaid on top of each image are drawings of the creeks and streams that free flow through the mountains and valleys of Gunnison County; the life line for our rivers and water supply. As an avid whitewater boater, I have been witness to the devastating impacts of the dammed rivers of the West. Rivers unable to flow for years because of water right allocations, massive fish kills in rivers too warm for aquatic life and the largest reservoir in Colorado drained of 36,000-acre feet of water to maintain Lake Powell’s hydroelectric power plant. I view dams as the rivers purgatory, flowing into the stagnating moment of death with the possibility of another chance at life through and past the dam, only to be captured again downstream. These images evoke a chaoticness that stays true to the nature of whitewater, climate change and human impact.

Upon analyzing the Gunnison county maps, a startling realization emerged—our valley alone is home to 26 recorded dams, with a staggering 1,839 dams documented throughout the state. This revelation prompted a shift in the vision for "The Dammed Rivers," inciting a more localized approach to focus on our valley. The goal of the project is to conduct on-location photo shoots capturing the 26 recorded dams in the Gunnison Valley. Each dam will be meticulously documented within its natural setting, offering perspectives of the waterways above, at and below the dams. Each image is complemented with hand traced mapped drawings illustrating the interconnected water networks that surround each dam.

Living in the high Rockies, it can be easy to overlook the issues of Western water scarcity and how much man made manipulation there really is in our valley. In the United States, less than 2% of our rivers are free-flowing, contained and diverted by millions of dams, ditches and road crossings and thousands of miles of levees. Building dams and reservoirs is one of the most common approaches to cope with drought and water shortage. However, due to widespread damming, healthy rivers are becoming an endangered species. The warming climate poses a significant challenge, as it accelerates evaporation, leaving the region vulnerable to drought. Despite the perception of water abundance, the impact of water obligations from a century-old treaty is draining our water quickly. This stark contrast between water abundance and drought is visible, even within a short 40-minute drive between Crested Butte and Gunnison through the depleting Blue Mesa reservoir. 

 The visual documentation will shed light on the waterway manipulation in our valley and the water emergency downstream, particularly observed through the Blue Mesa Dam, which has witnessed over 20 years of drought and an obligation to support a depleting Lake Powell. The project aims to raise awareness about the critical situation of water scarcity and the long-term impact of dams on local ecosystems.