Crooked Waters: A History of Riparian Conflict in the Kayaderosseras Watershed
Nadine Dodge '10, Brad Nesbitt '09, Karen Kellogg, Environmental Studies Program, and Michael Ennis-McMillan, Department of Anthropology

As industry and population burgeoned within the Kayaderosseras Creek watershed throughout the 19 th century, tensions among the stakeholders of this shared resource also heightened. Manufacturers began to use the creek as a secondary resource (e.g., erecting dams for hydropower, discharging industrial byproducts). Those who still relied on the water as a primary resource (e.g., fishermen, farmers, tourists) suffered from the water's altered flow and diminished quality. These stakeholders responded through lawsuits and direct petitions to government. Enforcement of official orders, however, was not guaranteed; polluters frequently appealed or simply ignored orders. Common law and government legislation proved an often unreliable means of enforcing pollution control. The early water conflicts in the Kayaderosseras watershed demonstrate the prominent role of water in community development, discussion, and debate.

Full report is not available. Please contact Karen Kellogg for more information.