Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West
- Downloads：5997
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-01-19 10:19:19
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Heather Hansman
- ISBN：0226819973
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Jeanne Cassell
，
Fascinating trip down the Green River， with interviews of various stake holders for water rights along the way 。 Clear explanations of water rights， but not enough water to go around！ An important issue to try to understand in the West。
Amanda
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I've tried to read a lot of books about water issues in the west and can never finish them。 This held my interest and was full of interesting information without getting me lost。 I've tried to read a lot of books about water issues in the west and can never finish them。 This held my interest and was full of interesting information without getting me lost。 。。。more
Cat Gonnering
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I've been interested and reading books lately on water rights， compacts， drought， and water usage in Western States particularly the upper and lower Colorado basins。 The author makes the topic easy to read and understand。 I empathize with her on how usage through drilling， agriculture， diversions to cities， dams， and the need to protect the environment are not clear cut and all shape the west。 The green river is beautiful and although I haven't seen much， the author's descriptions make it easy t I've been interested and reading books lately on water rights， compacts， drought， and water usage in Western States particularly the upper and lower Colorado basins。 The author makes the topic easy to read and understand。 I empathize with her on how usage through drilling， agriculture， diversions to cities， dams， and the need to protect the environment are not clear cut and all shape the west。 The green river is beautiful and although I haven't seen much， the author's descriptions make it easy to Google the locations to see the beauty as well。 Excellent read。 。。。more
Vince Snow
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I love the desert。 I love living in Utah， and I've never lived anywhere besides the American West。 I never really concerned myself with how big cities in the desert west were provided with water。 I really loved Hansman's narrative of rafting down the length of the green。 I enjoyed how she spoke with everyone who had buy in on the water along the way。 The future of water is multifaceted in an increasingly dry west。 I have previously thought of relatively simple answers that we just need to quit g I love the desert。 I love living in Utah， and I've never lived anywhere besides the American West。 I never really concerned myself with how big cities in the desert west were provided with water。 I really loved Hansman's narrative of rafting down the length of the green。 I enjoyed how she spoke with everyone who had buy in on the water along the way。 The future of water is multifaceted in an increasingly dry west。 I have previously thought of relatively simple answers that we just need to quit growing things and raising farm animals in the west since those use the bulk of the water。 After reading this book I think it's not so simple。 I found her very even handed speaking to everyone from farmers to oil people to the tribes to the rafting companies。 The river is a shared resource and， having been to several places she describes （and I hope to go to more of them） I am invested in preserving it。 It made me sad that she kept saying that the younger generation is not going on as many multi day river trips， and it made me want to go on more multi day river trips haha。 I've rafted by the confluence of colorado and the green twice and those 5 day river trips are some of my most cherished memories。 Overall， I found the book very compelling because she is a great storyteller and was able to humanize all of the different parties who have a stake in the Green River。 I was impressed by how even handed she was and would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning about water in the west。 。。。more
Leah B
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This book blew open my understanding of water rights and how impending climate change will impact our rivers。 Heather tackled issues and draws of the river from so many angles and I appreciate that she was able to be empathetic towards each group’s cause and necessity in what’s an incredibly complex dynamic。 Her stories of life on the river and those who joined her brought joy to what’s an otherwise heavy topic。 I have hope that newer generations will take multi-day river trips to carry on Herm This book blew open my understanding of water rights and how impending climate change will impact our rivers。 Heather tackled issues and draws of the river from so many angles and I appreciate that she was able to be empathetic towards each group’s cause and necessity in what’s an incredibly complex dynamic。 Her stories of life on the river and those who joined her brought joy to what’s an otherwise heavy topic。 I have hope that newer generations will take multi-day river trips to carry on Herm Hoops’ wishes。 Hopefully I can be part of that and I’ll always carry this book’s thoughts with me。 。。。more
Jenny Lesko
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I loved this book！ And I wish there were more books like this， I would read them all。 Part kayak adventure， and part learning about the super important topic of water rights out west （which is a topic that sounds boring but isn’t）。 There are so many sides to consider。 “We save what we love and we love what we know。”
Sarah
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I really enjoyed her exploration of the Green and everything connected to it and water policy in the west。 I wish she were a little less of the predictable easterner come west to do the rugged individualist thing。
Zachary
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This book presents important issues to think about， but I wasn't the biggest fan of the semi-narrative approach the author utilized to present those issues。 This book presents important issues to think about， but I wasn't the biggest fan of the semi-narrative approach the author utilized to present those issues。 。。。more
Ashley Wagner
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If you care about climate change or love nature or learning more about the dynamics of the ecosystem， this is a great read。 Definitely recommend it。
Lisa
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Heather Hansman does a solo （mostly） raft trip on the Green River， from the headwaters to the confluence of the Colorado River。 She gives the reader an education about water rights， water policy， and water uses on the river。 She makes an effort to speak to the various water users: farmers， tribal attorneys， Bureau of Reclamation， and municipalities; in order to gain that knowledge and viewpoint from each water user。 I have rafted many sections of the Arkansas River （Colorado）， La Poudre River （C Heather Hansman does a solo （mostly） raft trip on the Green River， from the headwaters to the confluence of the Colorado River。 She gives the reader an education about water rights， water policy， and water uses on the river。 She makes an effort to speak to the various water users: farmers， tribal attorneys， Bureau of Reclamation， and municipalities; in order to gain that knowledge and viewpoint from each water user。 I have rafted many sections of the Arkansas River （Colorado）， La Poudre River （Colorado）， the Colorado River （in both Colorado and Utah）， San Juan River （NM and UT）， the Chama River （NM）， the Bitterroot River （MT）， Clark Fork （MT）， and the Blackfoot River （MT） and I really would like to raft the Green （and so many other rivers）。 I was intrigued by the female solo rafter and the discussion on water law。 She really does give a good basic background in water law。 She gives the reader the Law of the River; she provides the various viewpoints even the tribal viewpoint （so many books miss this）; she provides the amount of water that each entity has a right to use at the beginning of each chapter; and most of all， I love the description of the river and the water and the beauty of nature。 She doesn't provide a grand plan to help save the rivers， fish， farmers， etc。 She cannot， it is such a large issue。 It will take everyone being at the table to figure out future water supplies。 The drought， climate change， large amount of water use is all affecting the river and we all need to be conscious of this issue。 There are constant negotiations going on between the Colorado River Basin states， the U。S。 agencies， the tribes， the irrigation districts。 The upcoming re-negotiation for the 2007 Interim Guidelines is a big issue for the Colorado River。 The author did a fantastic job of giving the reader the basics of water law and policies as well as giving us a peek into a river trip on the Green。 。。。more
John Valett
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Pretty interesting on the future of water in the west。 It’s definitely a tricky and complex thing we will have to untangle sooner rather than later。 She seems like a newer writer， but she did a good job。
Jill Tharp
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Though not as beautifully written as Stegner and the like， this was an update on the pervasive issue of water in the West。 Loved her perspective， her effort to see the issue from all sides， and her acknowledgment that there are no easy answers。 。
Mikaela
，
An important， if longer than strictly necessary， read。 Hansman's nature writing is beautifully descriptive， chock full of vivid images and nature scenes that immediately spark the urge to follow her onto the river。 Her verb choices were often particularly ingenious; it sounds odd， but her application of visceral action words to her ecological surroundings really makes her landscape come alive （think: winds that "scrub" instead of blow and a river that "leaps" and "dives" instead of flowing）。 Unf An important， if longer than strictly necessary， read。 Hansman's nature writing is beautifully descriptive， chock full of vivid images and nature scenes that immediately spark the urge to follow her onto the river。 Her verb choices were often particularly ingenious; it sounds odd， but her application of visceral action words to her ecological surroundings really makes her landscape come alive （think: winds that "scrub" instead of blow and a river that "leaps" and "dives" instead of flowing）。 Unfortunately， her writing loses some of its sharpness when it comes to talking about how being on the river changed her understanding of it。 She gets caught up on the same ideas and winds up repeating herself more often than not， drawing out conclusions and rewording the same sentences until the ideas lose their novelty。 About three-quarters of the way in， Hansman muses that "no one is really in the wrong， there's just not enough water for them all to be right，" which is both an accurate summary of her interviews and the conclusion it's taken her nearly 150 pages to cleanly articulate。 Additionally， while I certainly learned lots of new information about （not to mention a new appreciation for） the Green--and while her range and depth of interviews are to be applauded， I was somewhat let down by the single chapter representing Indigenous issues。 For someone who spent a whole section empathizing with the oil industry in the name of hearing both sides， it was disappointing to see her skim over Indigenous water rights as a "complicated" issue and only perfunctorily interview the few Native spokespeople she could reach。 I would've loved to see her give Indigenous voices the same weight as the cattle ranchers and rafting companies upstream in order to flesh out what's meant to be a snapshot of the whole river。 Overall 3。5 。。。more
Megan Brady
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Very informative， and non-biased。 It is also an easy read as she mixes in information with her experiences on the river， and her trip down the Green River。
Mike
，
Heather presents a complex picture of competing water issues related to the Law of the River and prior appropriations as she paddles the duration of the Green River from its headwaters in Wyoming to its confluence with the Colorado River。
Carolyn
，
A solid 4 stars。 As Cadillac Desert is one of my favorite all time books， I was looking forward to this as a follow-up， and I think it the book satisfied my wants well。 Heather seems like such an interesting and thoughtful person。 I appreciated hearing from another fellow river lover especially one with a history of rafting adventures。 She definitely discussed a very brief synopsis of water history but a lot of it was emotional ideas of why people want to protect a river， in this case the Green A solid 4 stars。 As Cadillac Desert is one of my favorite all time books， I was looking forward to this as a follow-up， and I think it the book satisfied my wants well。 Heather seems like such an interesting and thoughtful person。 I appreciated hearing from another fellow river lover especially one with a history of rafting adventures。 She definitely discussed a very brief synopsis of water history but a lot of it was emotional ideas of why people want to protect a river， in this case the Green River， vs people supporting damming， redirecting water， etc。 This was the first time I think I fully got a glimpse of the mindset needing development of a river and made me reevaluate some of my naive conservation ideas。 There’s some great quotes in the book and it almost feels poetic。 I’ll definitely have to come back and look this book over again。 。。。more
Sophia Abbey-Kuipers
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Loved this book！ Super accessible and such an important topic。 anyone who moves to the west must read to understand their impact on the environment as well as those who have lived here for generations。 My only wish is that this book talked even more about Native water rights。
Patricia Ogden
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How to ruin a river rafting trip and become an avowed conservationist。 Nothing elegiac here - the author muddles through the silted-up dilemma presented by hot drought and the Colorado River water distribution laws。 Clear， distilled explanation of water use issues in the Upper and Lower Basins。 She finds no answers， but prescribes compromise， flexibility， conservation， and grim realism and calls for action to find solutions to imminent water shortages。 Blame is too late: the law of water appropr How to ruin a river rafting trip and become an avowed conservationist。 Nothing elegiac here - the author muddles through the silted-up dilemma presented by hot drought and the Colorado River water distribution laws。 Clear， distilled explanation of water use issues in the Upper and Lower Basins。 She finds no answers， but prescribes compromise， flexibility， conservation， and grim realism and calls for action to find solutions to imminent water shortages。 Blame is too late: the law of water appropriation is a shackled hold-over from mining days， and the Colorado River allotment system was a failure from its beginning because the predictions of water available for use were much too high。 Her personal comments are psychologically intriguing。 A former river guide， she moved West to continue guiding on the magnificent rivers， but anxiety grows。 She's afraid for the safety of the tourists she ferries， and for herself。 Her trip on the river is fraught with fears and concerns for her personal safety and seems to mar the beautiful vistas she's earned with her solo trip。 She dislikes being alone， and although the trip is described as solo， she has at least 3 sets of companions and meets other rafters， drives the countryside to learn about drilling， stops at small towns， and interviews outfitters and many others。The old-timer paddlers she meets talk about "the good old days"， and worry that the experience of rafting is material and commodified。 I think her personal fears are really about her fear for the fate of the earth， and perhaps some other loss that isn't revealed - as she aged she has become much more risk-averse。It's interesting to compare the tone of Cheryl Strayed's hiking story across the Pacific Crest Trail。I don't remember her mentioning female safety worries。 But there was an implied camaraderie to the trail undertaking; Hansman had to contend with rural-urban conflicts about water use up close as she converses with drillers， farmers， conservationists， scientists， water-rights and land use managers， among many。 Probably good reason for the sense of caution that pervades the book。She's somewhat repetitive; several versions of explanation of the tangled needs and wants of water stakeholders seem to stretch to a glacial neutrality worthy of a Supreme Court justice - No attempts to suggest who's got to go first step up and change existing practices。 Implied， I think， is agriculture， with its 80-90 % water consumption of available totals。 Next comes fracking， which is well explained here - the amount of water used and unreturned to the earth is shocking。 （The oil shale around the Green holds rich promise， but it's in rock， much harder to extract。） Recreation industry use seems self-serving。 It seems unfair of fishing guides who take eager fisherman out to catch planted rainbow in the cold waters below the dam who complain about flow releases when they must have understood the purpose and practice of dams in the first place。The most interesting portion of the book seems to downplay the attractiveness of the Dinosaur National Park as a tourist destination。 Surely it's a big argument for preservation and wild and scenic river designation。 The book suggests a reading （or re-reading） of Wallace Stegner's "Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs"， a collection of elegiac and elegant writings on the West。 It was the book that made me love the West even more because what it had been was truly gone - because of the issues， time， technology - the things that Hansman follows on her own river journey。 。。。more
Abi
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The first couple chapters I spent the entire time saying “someone gets me！”。 I feel so validated by this book。 Done SO WELL！ Adventure mixed with climate and water reality。
Rachel Wierick
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2。5 stars and DNF at about 30%。 It’s interesting， but the same issues keep getting talked about。 The parts about being on the river and the landscape are nice， but even that gets repetitive （probably much like floating down the river）。 Water rights are a complex issue that people should be more aware of because they will affect the downstream cities in the very near future， but I found this book repetitive and a little boring very quickly。
Koki
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I found Hansman's success in getting a sweet raft trip/book deal all in one to be the most remarkable aspect of this book。 From her analysis， I take away that western water management practices are precarious and the future is bleak （plus some cool ideas about Wild and Scenic River designations and the Endangered Species Act）。 In general， I tuned out after her uncritical reference to "manifest destiny" as the reason she traveled west。 I found Hansman's success in getting a sweet raft trip/book deal all in one to be the most remarkable aspect of this book。 From her analysis， I take away that western water management practices are precarious and the future is bleak （plus some cool ideas about Wild and Scenic River designations and the Endangered Species Act）。 In general， I tuned out after her uncritical reference to "manifest destiny" as the reason she traveled west。 。。。more
Amanda
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Grateful for Heather to do all the hard digging so I could easily learn more about where our water comes from。 Read this if you need another reason to be frustrating with the Utah legislature。 I appreciate her no frills but down to earth writing style。
Ashley McMullen
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This book is exactly what it says it is - I'm just sad I didn't find it as interesting as I had hoped。 I think it's an important book for insight into the complicated politics surrounding water and its resourcing anywhere， but particularly out west。 The last third of the book dealing with recreation and Native American water rights was my favorite。 I enjoyed reading her sections about her actual experience on the water， I just unfortunately didn't find most of her interviews to be attention-grab This book is exactly what it says it is - I'm just sad I didn't find it as interesting as I had hoped。 I think it's an important book for insight into the complicated politics surrounding water and its resourcing anywhere， but particularly out west。 The last third of the book dealing with recreation and Native American water rights was my favorite。 I enjoyed reading her sections about her actual experience on the water， I just unfortunately didn't find most of her interviews to be attention-grabbing。If this is a subject you have a stake in or are interested in learning more about， though， it's an excellent resource to consult。 。。。more
Riley
，
The writing is refreshingly vulnerable for adventure writing。 Heather Hansman expresses doubt about her abilities to guide a river， be alone， be with people， understand water conservation， make a difference in it， and more。 It was good to hear a former river guide say that an oncoming rapid invites more anxiety than adrenaline。 She does a good job weaving this vulnerability and uncertainty into the way we handle water in the West， but if I'm being honest， I could have just read more about the pe The writing is refreshingly vulnerable for adventure writing。 Heather Hansman expresses doubt about her abilities to guide a river， be alone， be with people， understand water conservation， make a difference in it， and more。 It was good to hear a former river guide say that an oncoming rapid invites more anxiety than adrenaline。 She does a good job weaving this vulnerability and uncertainty into the way we handle water in the West， but if I'm being honest， I could have just read more about the personal journey than conservation。 Which is not what I was expecting when I picked up this book。 It's a thoughtful adventure story and thoroughly researched and explained， but as she says in the book， "I learned that you can care about places， and want to protect them， in the abstract， but then you're fighting for abstractions。" I understand the river and water policy and conservation in the abstract after reading this。 I still need to go and feel something to fight for， but this book has helped me realize that I need to。 。。。more
Sam
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This is a really interesting book and I like that she's rafting while she's doing all the research for this book。 But having read Cadillac Desert before I read this， this book kind of feels like a watered down version （pun intended） if CD。 Though she brings in arguments from both sides， she's a little too gentle with everyone involved， almost like she's not trying to persuade the readers of anything。 I get that this is a good way of sharing information without sharing dogma but it just wasn't fi This is a really interesting book and I like that she's rafting while she's doing all the research for this book。 But having read Cadillac Desert before I read this， this book kind of feels like a watered down version （pun intended） if CD。 Though she brings in arguments from both sides， she's a little too gentle with everyone involved， almost like she's not trying to persuade the readers of anything。 I get that this is a good way of sharing information without sharing dogma but it just wasn't fiery enough for me。 。。。more
Danny White
，
As a river engineer， many assume my stance on water development generally follows the law of the river to "use it or lose it。" Heather Hansman did an excellent job exploring the perspectives of water users and environmental advocates as she tells the story navigating the length of the Green River in watercraft。 Having grown up and spent much of my time in and around the Green River Basin， it was refreshing to follow along with someone that clearly loves this river， but is eager to unravel the nu As a river engineer， many assume my stance on water development generally follows the law of the river to "use it or lose it。" Heather Hansman did an excellent job exploring the perspectives of water users and environmental advocates as she tells the story navigating the length of the Green River in watercraft。 Having grown up and spent much of my time in and around the Green River Basin， it was refreshing to follow along with someone that clearly loves this river， but is eager to unravel the nuances of water development/use that I have also been exposed to in my field of work and study。 This book inspired me to plan a backpacking trip in the Wind River range this summer （which was amazing）， the headwaters of the Green， and I will float portions of the river later in the year。 This is one of my favorite newer books about water in the west and would recommend it to both the lay person and water expert。 。。。more
Denise Jaronski
，
Very well written。 Not a light read， but I learned so much about the threats to our US water as Heather descibes her brave， adventurous paddle down the Green and Yampa rivers。 She gathered so much detailed information from stops along her way interviewing many who work and farm adjacent to the river and dams。
Marley Steele-Inama
，
As someone who has spent much time on various stretches of Green River， I felt deeply connected to her journey - physically， emotionally， and cognitively。 I appreciated Hansman sharing all the incredible discussions and discoveries she had on this journey， and supporting it all with further research into the importance of water， especially those of us living in the arid West。 However， access to water is a universal human， animal and plant need。 To quote George Wendt， co-founder of O。A。R。S。 （and As someone who has spent much time on various stretches of Green River， I felt deeply connected to her journey - physically， emotionally， and cognitively。 I appreciated Hansman sharing all the incredible discussions and discoveries she had on this journey， and supporting it all with further research into the importance of water， especially those of us living in the arid West。 However， access to water is a universal human， animal and plant need。 To quote George Wendt， co-founder of O。A。R。S。 （and quoted in the book）， “We save what we love， and we love what we know。" 。。。more
Blaine Hoppenrath
，
I heard about this book when the author was on an episode of the She Explores podcast。 As someone who loves being on a river and someone who wants to understand conservation better I enjoyed this book for a host of reasons。 The first is that Hansman's way of researching the book was pretty admirable， the trip itself and her willingness to keep an open mind。 I also learned so much about water conservation and all of the intertwined needs of people and the environment。 I heard about this book when the author was on an episode of the She Explores podcast。 As someone who loves being on a river and someone who wants to understand conservation better I enjoyed this book for a host of reasons。 The first is that Hansman's way of researching the book was pretty admirable， the trip itself and her willingness to keep an open mind。 I also learned so much about water conservation and all of the intertwined needs of people and the environment。 。。。more
Amy
，