Indiana Rivers Rally: Opening Remarks

Opening remarks by: Brent Ladd

The Indiana Rivers Rally is for the people in this room. Indiana has the longest unimpeded waterway east of the Mississippi... the mighty Wabash River. Indiana has more miles of waterways than INDOT has in roadways. This should tell us something.

At the IRR there are between 180 and 200 people in attendance. This is a unique event in the history of Indiana waterways and a long time in coming. This should be a great opportunity for the members of the community who volunteer as well as work in the efforts toward waterways and resource utilization, conservation and preservation.

Comments by Molly Dodge: Hanover College Rivers Institute Co-Chair of the IRR.

Keynote Speaker: Tim Palmer "Rivers of America"

Originally from Pennsylvania, Tim has traveled the country in all directions in search of the rivers of America. Knew nothing about Indiana Rivers until Bill and Marty Mayer showed up at a PA "Dam Rally" .. with concerns for the streams in Indiana that were in danger of being damed and destroyed.

Side show on his journey to become an advocate for rivers and waterways in America.

Rivers are at the root of all people, no matter where they live on planet earth. Whether a river exists in the heartland of flat food producing country or in the idyllic lands of the mountains of the wild west or the slow, lazy flowing waterways of the deep south, to the now acidic waters of the northeast, waterways tug at our very soul. If they are lost, then we become as the father of the land ethic that is enjoying a resurgence, Aldo Leopold said about not wanting to live in a land with wildness.

Thus, for the sake of soul saving events that go far past the esoteric views of a purist, keeping waters flowing free and clean are essential to our very existence.

Tim, during his presentation talks about the efforts he has undertaken on his own personal photo-journey that culminated in his coffee table photo essay book. He is now working on another photo book about the restoration of riparian zones around the watersheds throughout the U.S.

The range of Tim's presentation is enormous and it takes in the full range of waterways .. rivers of life in the U.S., from the deep south to the west; from the northeast to the desert rivers. Then off to the northwest and the wilderness lands of Alaska.


Q&A

What did Tim call "Lake Powell"? Powell Mudhole

Photos taken, how? Mostly from land for best quality. Some from boats; from ladders; skis in the winter .. any way he can get the shot?

How many cameras lost over the years? Only dropped one camera into water. Dropped camera off cliff - but was not damaged. Tim still shoots film; using camera (Canon A-1) from 1984.

How many oars lost? One .. his 'stone-age' oar .. using stones attached the oars to provide 'free' balanced oars.

How did you get around and to all those places? He lived out of his van for 24 years. He and his wife lived out of their car in order to 'be on location'. He and his wife now live in a house in Oregon.

Does he confer with Native Americans? Yes.. wherever and whenever possible.

What are you currently working on now? Photographic book on Trees due out in '08; Sierra Nevada book due out in a few months; published by Heyday Publishing.

O'fieldstream