Visiting the valley. This past week was spent exploring Owen’s lake and the surrounding area as we aimed to understand the historical context and the current conditions of the valley. We met with the local Paiute Elders who explained their frustration with the exploitation of the land and their people, and also with representatives of the LA Department of Water and Power who seemed to struggle with justifying their profit-driven approach to dust mitigation on the lake. The experience as a whole was incredibly valuable for beginning to understand the complexity of the cultural, political, and environmental forces that have converged over time to shape the current state of the valley. However, the extent of the problem is still very confusing and one that will require a great deal of struggle and deliberation to bring justice to those people and landscapes that have been wrongly disenfranchised and destroyed. I hope our exploration of Owen’s Valley can instigate a long-term conversation about how we can more equitably manage our resources to sustain our world for future generations to enjoy.
Aqueduct Futures 