A River Reborn – The Joy Trip Project

A River Reborn – The Joy Trip Project

River Reborn

In March of 2014 land management agencies of the United States and Mexican governments worked together to create an unprecedented event. The two nations lifted the gates of Morelos Dam at the U.S./Mexico Border to release a surge of water into the Colorado River Delta which had been left parched of moisture for more than 50 years. In a process called a Pulse Flow the torrent of water mimicked the once annual spring flood that brought life to more than 300 plant and animal species across a vast ecosystem.
The new short film produced by the Soronan Institute tell the story of what happened immediately after the water was released. Narrated by Robert Redford and called RENEWAL this mini-documentary shows the direct impact this sudden surge of water made upon both the natural environment as well as the local human population.
“How often have humans witnessed a river being reborn?” Redford asks in the film.
The excited response of the people nearby was echoed by a dramatic influx of birds, fish and other animals who were quickly drawn to the welcome presence of fresh water. Wild plants and native trees rebounded right away to grow new vegetation and fresh seeds. Working together to bring the delta back to life environmental organizations on both sides of the border clearly showed how effectively direct human action can restore the balance of natural settings thrown out of whack by more than a century of industrial development.
“We weren’t just running a demonstration,” said Jennifer Pitt Director of the Colorado River Project at the Environmental Defense Fund. “We were creating a river.”
For more information visit http://www.RaisetheRiver.org

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