“WATERSHED”
A watershed is an area constrained by slope and relief, reinforced through the attrition of water and time. In a natural environment sculpted over a duration measured not in years, or even eons, but in scales of geologic time, our existence is only a blink — a moment. Yet in our human moment, we have shown the potential to drastically influence our environment, and watershed becomes the descriptor of a galvanizing moment when we decide to understand and protect a place.
The Henry’s Fork of the Snake River in Idaho is such a place. The natural history of the people associated with this watershed is as dynamic as the river itself. Perched on the Western boundary of the greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Henry’s Fork River springs from the caldera of an ancient super volcano and cascades dramatically into the fertile potato fields of Southwest Idaho. Similarly, what began as an unassuming utilitarian use of the river as a resource for farming and industry, morphed quickly into an all too familiar battle to redefine what a resource is, and is used for. And a river that was once known for the railroad and as an irrigation source for the farmland beside it, is now cherished as one of the pre-eminent trout fishing locations in the world.
The rich personal histories that fill the Henry’s Fork watershed have always been dichotomous, with locals and newcomers in a push-pull battle of livelihood and stewardship. In 1984, a group of local anglers and residents formed the Henry’s Fork Foundation, a non-profit, member-based organization, to preserve and protect the watershed. With dozens of research studies, protection efforts, and outreach projects the Foundation has spurred the community to maintain a constant vigil over this entire watershed and its land, water, and fish.
The 25th anniversary of the Henry’s Fork Foundation is the impetus for our film that tells the story of the Henry’s Fork Watershed and its people. The route of the Henry’s Fork becomes the narrative of our story. Where did it begin? What course has it taken? Where is it headed? The river is an apropos foil to describe this successful grassroots effort which has organically, but purposefully, developed over time. From Big Springs into the Caldera, Upper and Lower Mesa Falls, and down to the lower river, the Henry’s Fork traverses a variety of terrain, just as its people have taken countless, novel measures to understand and protect it.
The short documentary film, like the river, is broken into 3 parts: