The River We Have Sought: A River’s Mortality
By Barry Drazkowski
This title echoes the profound legacies of John Anfinfinson’s The River We Have Wrought and Cal Fremling’s Immortal River. Both books are essential chronicles of the river’s history, cultural significance, and the economic policies that have shaped it. Fremling detailed six million years of history, foretelling the massive institutional and ecological changes we see today. Anfinfinson focused more recently on the political and economic forces driving navigation development, government control, and the massive transformations caused by human engineering—specifically, rock and dam structures. They described the resource's diversity, power, and ecological immensity, noting its decline and the institutional programs designed to restore lost functions. Their written journeys leave readers in awe of the river’s service and the tremendous costs borne by its integrity, concluding with a message of hope based on government programs funded by millions to avert ecological collapse.
Years later, informed by these writings, we must now confront the river’s future. We stand on its shore today, witnessing sedimentation that Fremling only imagined, now realized at an alarming scale. Habitat continues to decline at a rate of approximately 3% per year, despite over $1.4 billion being spent on restoration planning, science, and construction since the programs were authorized in 1986. Moreover, navigation in the upper ten pools is no longer economically viable without significant public investment to perpetually offset maintenance and management costs. Forests are dying at alarming rates up and down the upper river. The documented changes in hydrology—driven by climate change, watershed drainage, and wetland loss—result in significantly more water, increased flooding, and longer durations. Does the value of these programs diminish if the decline persists?
It is time to change the narrative. We must consider preserving the last vestiges of the ancient river, particularly in the upper third of most pools. We must slightly modify the navigation mandate to truly realize the joint priorities Congress established: supporting the protection and restoration of this “Nationally Significant Ecosystem” while also accommodating an economically viable transportation system. The time for this critical consideration is now, before the “Significant Ecosystem” is gone forever at the expense of navigation.
