watershed moment essay

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Watershed Moment: Definition, Meaning, Examples

Hannah Yang

Like most idioms , “watershed moment” doesn’t mean what it sounds like. It has nothing to do with water or sheds.

So what exactly is a watershed moment, and where does this term come from?

This article will explain what a watershed moment is and how you can use it in your own writing.

Definition: What Does Watershed Moment Mean?

Where does the term watershed moment come from, how do watershed moments impact literature, what are some examples of the phrase watershed moment in writing.

• Watershed Moment: Final Thoughts

The term “watershed moment” is an idiom that refers to an important event that changes the direction of history.

There are many famous watershed moments throughout history. Some of these events are important to a single country or population, while others affect the entire world.

One famous example of a watershed moment is the invention of the printing press.

In 1435, Johannes Gutenberg made it possible to print books in a much cheaper and more efficient way.

This discovery led literacy to rise throughout first Europe, then the world, and gave us the literature we have today.

Another example is the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.

This event caused Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia, which obliged their other allies in Europe to mobilize, and ultimately led to WWI.

Gutenberg’s invention and Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination are both considered watershed moments around the world.

They were important events that made a strong impact on the trajectory of history.

The term “watershed moment” can also be used on a more intimate level to refer to major turning points within a single person’s life.

For example, your personal watershed moment might be when you move to a new country or when you decide to change careers.

The word “watershed” is a geographical term that refers to an area of land that divides the flow of separate rivers.

Think of it as a literal dividing point: the water is going one way at first, until the watershed moment, when it gets rerouted toward a different trajectory.

The term gained its figurative meaning as a historical turning point because it changes the shape of history in the same way.

The figurative meaning of the word “watershed” originated in the mid-1800s, and the phrase “watershed moment” became popular around 1900.

If you’re a fiction writer , you might want to consider paying attention to watershed events as a source of inspiration.

Watershed moments are fascinating because they hold more cultural significance than other events do. They can spark story ideas and resonate with readers.

These are events that change everything, including the shape of history. It’s fun to imagine what would happen if these events had happened differently.

Historical fiction often focuses on following specific characters throughout watershed moments to see how their lives transformed.

Writing about these moments can give your story a lot of cultural resonance, because watershed moments are so well-remembered.

Here are some examples of historical fiction novels that follow watershed moments:

• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell: about the watershed moment when Shakespeare’s work changed English literature forever
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: about the watershed moment when Japan occupied Korea and changed Korean culture
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: about the watershed moment when the U.S. abolished slavery and changed the culture of the South

Alternate history is a genre of fiction that imagines what history would be like if a watershed moment had gone a different way.

Here are some examples of alternative history novels that re-envision watershed moments:

• 11/22/63 by Stephen King: about what would have happened if JFK’s assassination had never happened
• The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick: about what the world would look like if the Axis had won WWII, instead of the Allies
• Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters: about what would have happened if Abraham Lincoln’s assassination had taken place before the Civil War

It’s often hard to know which events will be a watershed moment until many years after the event is over.

You need a bird’s-eye-view to be able to track the major turning points of history, just like you don’t know if you’re at a river bend when you’re standing inside the river itself.

Often, it’s impossible to predict whether the ultimate effect of an important event will be good or bad. There will be positive and negative effects of everything.

Fiction is a powerful way to show these themes and connect readers with history.

The phrase "watershed moment" can appear across fiction and non-fiction writing. Whether you're fictionalizing or analyzing an historical event, do your ideas justice with great editing.

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Here are some examples of instances in which “watershed moment” has been used in writing, in both fiction and nonfiction:

Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee

She looked skinny to me, even gaunt, but I probably thought that because of her hair. Nothing left. The color seemed darker, what had been traces of a reddish hue were now gone, and only her roots were left, the fine nubs rich and brown. I beat down the idea that her cutting it was a statement intended for me. Women, I know, sometimes have themselves shorn at those watershed moments of their lives, like discarding the memory of a man.

In this passage, Chang-Rae Lee uses the term “watershed moment” to refer to a personally important moment, rather than a historically important one.

Here, the narrator of the story uses the term to remark that women often change their haircuts after breaking up with their boyfriends, which he regards as a major turning point in their lives.

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

And so it was that the weekend that was to have been a watershed in Dedé’s life turned into a trip down memory lane in a rented boat. In and out of the famous lagoons they had visited as a young bride and groom Jaimito rowed, stopping to point with his oar to the swamp of mangroves where the Tainos had fished and later hidden from the Spanish.

In this passage, Alverez uses the term “watershed” to refer to a moment that Dede thought would be important.

Dede thought this weekend would change her marriage for good, but instead, she and her husband simply spend the weekend reminiscing on their early memories, without moving toward the future.

As a result, the weekend turns out not to be a watershed after all.

An article in The Telegraph from June 7, 2018

Mr. Sanchez acknowledged the political influence of an unprecedented strike on International Women’s Day on March 8, when millions of Spanish women abandoned their workplaces and homes and took to the streets, describing it as a watershed moment for social progress.

This article in The Telegraph describes the way Mr. Sanchez is being applauded for advancing equality with his appointments of female ministers.

He uses the term “watershed moment” to insinuate that the International Women’s Day strike was an important event for the history of gender equality.

An article in Deadline from April 22, 2021

Cast diversity in films “skyrocketed” last year, according to the latest inclusion report from UCLA. “People of color and women made tremendous strides among film leads since the last report, cementing 2020 as a watershed moment for diversity,” the study says. “For the first time, both groups nearly reached proportionate representation among film leads.”

Finally, this Deadline article describes the way diversity in Hollywood films is becoming a norm, not an outlier.

Watershed Moment : Final Thoughts

Watershed moments are important—both in real life and in fiction. In real life, watershed moments can have serious impacts on our world and our lives.

In fiction, watershed moments can provide sources of inspiration for stories.

Can you think of any books inspired by watershed moments? Share them in the comments.

Do you want to know how to build a world your readers won’t forget? Download this free book now:

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Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine “educates exemplary physicians and seeks to improve health through discovery and responding to the needs of the medically underserved in our communities.” Their research focus is in “groundbreaking” biomedical research about the prevention, control and treatment of disease – and mechanisms underlying human disease. (source: MSU website )

Median MCAT/GPA is 510/3.77. They expect applicants to have long term, in-depth clinical work, paid or volunteer.

MSU CHM’s dean, Aron Sousa, MD, characterizes the curriculum as having robust clinical experience in each year of medical school, and academic content organized by chief complaint rather than organ system or discipline.

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine 2022-2023 application essays

Michigan state university college of human medicine secondary essay #1.

Imagine and reflect upon your life and medical career at the time of retirement. What do you envision being your proudest/most significant accomplishment? ( 500 words )

Your proudest / most significant career accomplishment might relate to MSU CHM’s mission or focus , namely serving the underserved, making an impact in medically underserved communities at home or abroad, or having performed and discovered groundbreaking research that sheds insight into the prevention, control or treatment of disease.

Another approach might be to describe what you would consider to have been a physician’s life well-lived in service to others. What would that service have looked like? Stay humble. Do you define this life of service by its corresponding humanitarianism rather than conceit, clichés or dogma?

Perhaps you think of retirement not as an end but as a transition, like book chapters? How did your career in medicine bring you to this next life adventure? Perhaps you have no intention of retiring? How does your life as a physician change once past your prime or after a significant accomplishment? 

In real life, there is no such thing as a crystal ball. Life will be full of surprises, achievements, disappointments, joy and pain much of which you cannot predict today. So this prompt isn’t really about life plans and details. It’s a narrative about hopes and aspirations – and your imagination.

MSU CHM secondary essay #2

American society may be experiencing a watershed moment as it reckons with various systemic injustices. Use the space below to share your thoughts about this statement. ( 500 words )

A watershed moment is a moment that changes the direction of belief. A watershed moment is a historic epiphany, a moment when looking back one can see the moment when a standing belief changed direction. It is an event or an action that changes the course of normalcy. 9/11 is a watershed moment in US culture. The reversal of Roe vs Wade is a watershed moment in US culture. The electric car is a watershed moment in sustainability and climate change.

“Reckons with” is a pivotal verb phrase suggesting systemic injustice is a force to be reckoned with. Yet, reckon also means to settle, as in reconciling or settling a bank account. How is American Society settling discrimination in its institutions and systems once and for all? 

The American Medical Association has adopted bold guidelines to confront systemic racism with the aim of dismantling racist policies and practices in health care. This prompt infers that right now we are changing the infrastructure and methods of institutions to eliminate inherent bias, inequality, inequity and prejudice. Most medical schools have adopted similar positions in their mission statements. However, this prompt does not limit your answer to addressing systemic injustice solely in healthcare. You may talk about healthcare, but you do not have to.

Where do you see the dismantling of injustice? What does that look like? How is it done? How effective is it? Is there backlash or turmoil? Where have you seen justice in action? How are we never turning back in time regarding injustice?

MSU CHM secondary essay #3

Use the space below to reflect upon your COVID-19 public health crisis experiences, challenges, and/or insights. ( 500 words )

All medical school applicants have had a disruption to their medical school activities, from classes to shadowing to taking the MCAT. Feel free to mention your readjustment to your medical school path briefly. Then, how did you get involved in the pandemic? What did you do to help people through this crisis? How does COVID-19 change healthcare for physicians? For hospitals? For communities? For patients?

MSU CHM secondary essay #4

In the most general sense, create a list of ten (or more) words or phrases you might use to describe or characterize yourself to someone you just met. From this list of words or phrases, are any associated with your decision to pursue medicine as a career? If yes, select up to 3 and explain. If no, explain. ( 500 words )

This prompt is the most “outside the box” prompt yet. Obviously, whatever words or phrases you choose to describe your character paint a self-portrait with words. So, it stands to reason that several entries would correspond with being a physician, whether in your humanitarian values, beliefs, spirituality, love of science, guiding principles (like altruism), or intersectionality (the Venn Diagram of who we are, the circles of our beliefs or the roles we play and their overlap). Just as your activities on the AMCAS application fit a variety of categories, so should your list of characteristics. Be honest, and be yourself. 

Most applicants will likely explain a few characteristics that fit with pursuing medicine. This is a reasonable approach. However, it is possible that an outside the box thinker could be so original in how they explain a “no” that their answer is original and fascinating. For instance, an applicant with a philosophy background might have a wonderful time with this prompt. However, chances are, answering “no” will pose an unnecessary risk. 

MSU CHM secondary essay #5

If you could present yourself to the Admissions Committee, what would you want to make sure they knew about you? ( 500 words )

Some applicants explain a life circumstance, a story, a situation, a challenge they’ve overcome , or a nontraditional path to medicine that sets them apart from the pack or deepens their portrait in the big picture of the application.

Do not answer this question with filler. However, do not overlook an opportunity to enhance the school’s sense of who you are, especially if the secondaries they provide exclude the opportunity to share an important story . Be sure the story ends well and demonstrates what you learned or how you changed for the better with insight and humility.

Do not repeat stories told in other parts of this secondary or in your primary. This essay, like all essays, should add to the reader’s understanding of you.

You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are. Now that you’re ready for your next achievement, make sure you know how to present yourself to maximum advantage in your MSU applications. In a hotly competitive season, you’ll want a member of Team Accepted in your corner, guiding you with expertise tailored specifically for you.  Check out our flexible consulting packages today!

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine 2022-23 application timeline

Source:  MSU website

Related resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Secondary Essay Questions from Top Med Schools
• Here’s How to Match Your Values to the Medical School Mission Statement
• 5 Dont’s for Your Medical School Personal Statement

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Free Essay On My Watershed Moment

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Music , Money , Life , Town , Friendship , House , Memory , Time

Words: 1100

Published: 02/19/2020

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I remember vividly that it was on a Tuesday evening. I was walking slowly from McDonalds. I had gone there to buy some takeaway food since I had no shopping in my apartment. That day was graceful as all I remember is that I was lost in my thoughts. People seemed to pave way for me as if I had headlights that announced my arrival. The sunset was a nice view to look at. I opted to perch on one of the fences along a pathway that was used by very few people. I was broke, a fact that almost rendered me paranoid. Whilst listening to music from my iPod, I found myself picking the chips one by one to my mouth. Soon I was eating slowly without caring about what passers-by could conclude about me. Actually I never cared because up to this time, the majority who had been close to me did little to make me better. Many a time’s people could steal a few glances at me and walk away. Some walked hurriedly while others walked at a regular pace. Those who were walking with their loved ones walked holding their hands together as they laughed on some silly joke. So everyone was happy except me! I thought loudly. I still consoled myself that each person has a problem, only that the magnitude differs from one individual to another. Suddenly, a middle aged man probably in his late thirties stopped and came up to where I was sited. He insisted having a warm handshake that I returned warmly. He also sat by my side and a conversation started out of nowhere. He asked me a lot about my town seeking clarifications here and there whilst listening attentively. Later on, I came to discover that the man was a stranger in town. After a lengthy talk, he asked me whether I smoke but I told him I don’t. I offered to show him around since there was a nearby shop that he could buy a couple of sticks from. “This is my last money young man,” he said as he gave out ten dollars. This made a lot of questions surge through my mind. I felt some degree of alarm but remained silent. After some soul searching, I developed a feeling that this man was in need of my help. But how could I help him yet I was going through hell? May I should keep going then. That’s what I told myself. We were strolling when the man, now livelier than before broke the silence, “I have around for six hours now. This town seems to have very unfriendly people that one feels like a real foreigner. I came here with my friends, seven in total. The main reason for our visit was to camp around this place so that we could have a good time. Now a stupid friend of mine was somewhat intoxicated with some drugs. I stopped by to get some smokes only to see the guy speed off. He left me with nothing except 20 dollars in my pocket. My mobile phone, my wallet, and everything are in the bag in that vehicle. That’s why I am here right now, no brother, no sister, nobody, except a friendly stranger- you.” He punctuated the last sentence with a naughty smile. For the first moment I remained speechless that it was noticeable. He continued saying that he was a good man and all he needed was a place to shelter before he traced where his friends were. He continued saying, “my friend is a perfect example of what drugs can do to a man.” I came to learn later that they were heading for the Great Basin national Park. Quite a dangerous place if one is alone. I let the man follow me to my apartment where I lived alone. Initially, I used to share that house with my brother but upon marriage, he headed for Massachusetts with his newly wed wife leaving me alone. My brother was very supportive but the previous month wasn’t good for him. He lost his job and this impacted on me too. Being a younger brother had rendered me quite lazy because I was used to receiving rather than finding things on my own. I let the man know more about me. Actually there was not much to know so he knew everything. He was aware that I was living at a very bad state. He was informed that I had taken a diploma in film studies and a certificate in music production. According to him, I was the one to blame for my poverty. We scanned through my laptop. I had a couple of design and music software! This really intrigued him so much that he showed some interest in me. He asked me a few questions regarding a number of processes and I was in a position of answering them all. I thought he was asking because he wanted to know only to discover later that he actually testing my knowledge and acquaintance. I asked to know about him but he declined begging me to let him sleep as tomorrow was a long day and he could let me know more about him, on waking up, we had a lengthy talk. He had some money with which we bought breakfast. I came to learn later that the man worked with a big production house in Los Angeles. All this time I was very attentive because this was one person living my dream. What awakened me from the shock is when he said that he was very willing to introduce me to the industry since I had shown him hospitality. This got me thinking. I remember calling my brother asking him to send me money enough to purchase two air tickets to Los Angeles. The man really appreciated this move. He assisted me pack some of my clothes and a few treasuries I could not believe my eyes when we reached the man’s compound. He was living in a big mansion with his family. He showed me a room where I could spend before I was able to support myself. He had another small room in his house which he termed as his ‘small studio.’ That is where my apprenticeship began.

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Watershed Moment – Meaning, Origin and Usage

Are you looking for a way to describe a point in time that changed everything? You could say that it was a "watershed moment". This post digs into the history and meaning of this phrase, and shows you how to use it.

The expression "watershed moment" refers to an event that altered the course of history . Such moments can pertain to world history, but they can also unfold on a much smaller scale, including in a single organization.

Watershed moments are so significant that people begin talking about the time "before" and "after" the event.

​​​Example Usage

Are you not sure how you might use the phrase " watershed moment " in a sentence? These examples should help you figure it out:

• "Everyone knows that 9/11 was a watershed moment. Everything changed, forever, the moment those planes hit the Twin Towers."
• "The Covid-19 pandemic proved to be a watershed moment for mental health."
• "We don't think about it often, now, but the dissolution of the Roman Empire was a watershed moment in history."

The noun " watershed " likely originates with the German " Wasser-scheide ". It refers to a line that marks the waters flowing into two distinct rivers, with "shed" meaning a high ground between two valleys.

A watershed represents, as such, a clear division — a point at which one thing end and another begins.

The word "watershed" has been in use in the English language since the early nineteenth century . The phrase "watershed moment" emerged soon after.

The metaphor is clear. Just as a watershed defines the division between two separate bodies of water, a watershed moment defines the division of history into a "before" and an "after" in relation to a significant event.

The phrase "watershed moment" can be used to describe any important event, decision, or invention, but it is often used to describe a declaration of war or another politically critical occurrence.

Watershed moments can also be personal, however — someone might define the day they found out that they lost a job, or got accepted into college, as a watershed moment in their life.

​Phrases Similar to Watershed Moment

Instead of calling an event or decision a watershed moment, you could also use the following phrases:

• Turning point — an important point that altered the course of history.
• Crossroads — a point that forces an important decision to be made.
• To cross the Rubicon — referring to Caesar's crossing of the river Rubicon, an act that led to a civil war, this saying means "to reach a point of no return". Instead of describing something as a watershed moment, you could say the Rubicon was crossed.

​Phrases Opposite to Watershed Moment

The opposite of a watershed moment would be an event so insignificant that nobody will remember it. Watershed moments usually denote proactive events, however, and antonyms could include:

• A standstill — a situation that stops progress in negotiations.
• An impasse.
• A stalemate — referring to a chess move that renders a game unwinneable.

​​What Is the Correct Saying?

The correct saying is a "watershed moment". It means a moment that alters the course of history.

​​​Ways People May Say Watershed Moment Incorrectly

The significance of an event may not be known until much later. Some events, like the September 11 attacks, can immediately be said to be watershed moments. Others only prove to be important later on.

To avoid hyperbole, you would be advised to avoid calling something a watershed moment unless you are certain about its significance .

​​​Acceptable Ways to Phrase Watershed Moment

You can use the expression "watershed moment" to talk about historical events that were critical turning points. You can also choose to call important local events, or moments that led you to change your life completely, as watershed moments.

It is usually best to save the phrase "watershed moment" for events that have already unfolded and that have had a clear aftermath, allowing you to make more accurate judgments about their importance.

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Lit. Summaries

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The Watershed”: A Literary Analysis by W.H. Auden

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden explores the concept of a watershed as a metaphor for the turning point in a person’s life. Through a literary analysis of various works, Auden delves into the significance of this pivotal moment and how it can shape one’s future. This article will examine Auden’s insights and provide a deeper understanding of the metaphorical significance of a watershed.

The Watershed: A Literary Analysis by W.H. Auden

In his essay “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden explores the concept of a watershed moment in literature. He argues that a watershed moment is a point in a work of literature where the plot, characters, and themes all come together to create a significant shift or turning point. This moment is often marked by a sudden realization or epiphany for the characters, and it can have a profound impact on the rest of the story.

Auden uses several examples from literature to illustrate his point, including Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Joyce’s Ulysses. In Hamlet, the watershed moment occurs when Hamlet finally decides to take revenge on his uncle for killing his father. This decision sets off a chain of events that leads to the tragic conclusion of the play. In Ulysses, the watershed moment is when Leopold Bloom realizes that his wife has been unfaithful to him. This realization forces him to confront his own feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, and it ultimately leads to a deeper understanding of himself and his place in the world.

According to Auden, the watershed moment is essential to the success of a work of literature. It provides a sense of closure and resolution to the story, and it allows the reader to reflect on the themes and ideas that have been presented. Without a watershed moment, a work of literature can feel incomplete or unsatisfying.

Overall, Auden’s essay provides a valuable insight into the importance of the watershed moment in literature. By analyzing some of the most iconic works of literature, he demonstrates how this concept can be used to create a powerful and memorable story. Whether you are a writer or a reader, understanding the watershed moment can help you appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating a great work of literature.

The Poem’s Structure

The structure of “The Watershed” is a crucial aspect of the poem’s effectiveness. Auden employs a complex form that combines elements of traditional poetic forms with his own unique style. The poem is divided into three sections, each with its own distinct tone and theme. The first section is written in rhyming couplets, which give the poem a sense of order and stability. The second section is written in free verse, which allows for a more fluid and organic expression of the speaker’s emotions. The final section returns to rhyming couplets, but with a more somber and reflective tone. This structure mirrors the journey of the speaker as he moves from a state of certainty and stability to one of uncertainty and introspection. Overall, the structure of “The Watershed” enhances the poem’s themes of change, growth, and self-discovery.

The Theme of Loss

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden explores the theme of loss through the lens of a relationship that has reached its breaking point. The poem depicts a couple who have grown apart and are now faced with the difficult decision of whether to stay together or go their separate ways. Throughout the poem, Auden uses vivid imagery and powerful language to convey the sense of loss that the couple is experiencing. He describes the “cold wind” that blows between them, the “empty bed” that they share, and the “silent tears” that they shed. These images serve to emphasize the emotional distance that has grown between the couple and the sense of emptiness that they feel. Ultimately, “The Watershed” is a poignant exploration of the pain and sadness that can come with the end of a relationship, and the difficult choices that must be made in order to move forward.

The Role of Nature

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden explores the role of nature in shaping human experiences and emotions. He suggests that the natural world has a profound impact on our lives, influencing our moods, thoughts, and actions. Auden argues that the watershed, a natural boundary that separates different bodies of water, is a powerful symbol of the ways in which nature shapes our understanding of the world. He suggests that the watershed represents a division between different aspects of our lives, such as the past and the present, or the conscious and the unconscious. By exploring the role of nature in our lives, Auden offers a powerful meditation on the ways in which we are shaped by the world around us.

The Symbolism of Water

Water has long been a symbol of life, purity, and renewal in literature. In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden uses water as a powerful symbol to explore the themes of change and transformation. The watershed, a dividing line between two bodies of water, represents a moment of transition and transformation. It is a place where the old ends and the new begins, where the past is left behind and the future is uncertain.

Auden uses water to symbolize the transformative power of nature. Water is a force that can shape and reshape the landscape, eroding rocks and carving out canyons. It is also a force that can cleanse and purify, washing away the dirt and grime of everyday life. In “The Watershed,” water represents the power of nature to transform and renew.

Water is also a symbol of the unconscious mind. In many cultures, water is associated with the depths of the psyche, the hidden parts of ourselves that we may not be aware of. In “The Watershed,” water represents the unknown, the mysterious, and the unconscious. It is a symbol of the inner journey that we must all take in order to discover who we truly are.

Overall, water is a powerful symbol in “The Watershed.” It represents the transformative power of nature, the unconscious mind, and the journey of self-discovery. Through his use of water imagery, Auden invites us to explore these themes and to reflect on the ways in which we are all transformed by the forces of nature and the mysteries of our own minds.

The Significance of Time

Time is a recurring theme in W.H. Auden’s “The Watershed.” The poem explores the significance of time in shaping our lives and the world around us. Auden suggests that time is a powerful force that can bring about change and transformation. He also highlights the importance of seizing the moment and making the most of our time on earth. Through his use of vivid imagery and powerful language, Auden invites readers to reflect on the fleeting nature of time and the impact it has on our lives. Overall, “The Watershed” is a poignant reminder of the significance of time and the need to cherish every moment we have.

The Use of Imagery

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden employs vivid imagery to convey the theme of the poem. The use of imagery is a powerful tool in poetry as it allows the reader to visualize the scene and connect with the emotions of the speaker. Throughout the poem, Auden uses various images such as the “darkening fields” and the “drowned valley” to create a sense of foreboding and despair. The imagery of the “drowned valley” is particularly effective as it not only creates a visual image but also suggests a deeper meaning of loss and destruction. The use of imagery in “The Watershed” is a testament to Auden’s skill as a poet and his ability to convey complex emotions through simple yet powerful images.

The Tone of the Poem

The tone of “The Watershed” by W.H. Auden is one of contemplation and reflection. The speaker is looking back on their life and the choices they have made, and considering the impact those choices have had on their present situation. There is a sense of regret and sadness in the poem, as the speaker realizes that they cannot go back and change the past. However, there is also a sense of acceptance and resignation, as the speaker acknowledges that they must move forward and make the best of what they have. Overall, the tone of the poem is one of introspection and a deep sense of longing for what could have been.

The Influence of T.S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot was a major influence on W.H. Auden’s literary career. Auden was greatly inspired by Eliot’s use of language and his ability to create complex and multi-layered works. Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land” was particularly influential on Auden, who saw it as a watershed moment in modernist literature. Auden admired Eliot’s ability to blend different literary traditions and create a work that was both modern and timeless. Eliot’s influence can be seen in Auden’s own poetry, which often features similar themes and techniques. Overall, T.S. Eliot played a significant role in shaping W.H. Auden’s literary style and approach.

The Poem’s Historical Context

The poem “The Watershed” by W.H. Auden was written in 1945, just after the end of World War II. This historical context is important to understanding the themes and imagery in the poem. The devastation and trauma of the war is reflected in the bleak and desolate landscape described in the poem. The use of water as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of change can also be seen as a reflection of the post-war era, where the world was undergoing significant political and social transformations. Additionally, Auden’s own experiences as a pacifist and his disillusionment with the political climate of the time can be seen in the poem’s critique of power and authority. Overall, the historical context of “The Watershed” adds depth and meaning to the poem’s themes and imagery.

The Impact of World War II

The impact of World War II on society and culture cannot be overstated. It was a time of great upheaval and change, and its effects are still felt today. In his essay “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden explores the ways in which the war transformed literature and the arts. He argues that the war marked a turning point in the way that writers and artists approached their work, and that it led to a new era of creativity and experimentation.

One of the key ways in which the war impacted literature was by forcing writers to confront the realities of violence and destruction. Many writers, including Auden himself, were deeply affected by the war and its aftermath. They grappled with questions of morality, justice, and human suffering, and sought to capture the complexity of these issues in their work.

At the same time, the war also opened up new avenues for artistic expression. Auden notes that the war “brought about a new sense of community” among writers and artists, who were united by a common purpose and a shared sense of urgency. This sense of community led to new collaborations and cross-disciplinary projects, as artists sought to find new ways to respond to the challenges of the time.

Overall, Auden argues that the impact of World War II on literature and the arts was profound and far-reaching. It marked a watershed moment in the history of culture, and set the stage for a new era of creativity and experimentation. As we continue to grapple with the legacy of the war today, it is important to remember the ways in which it shaped our cultural landscape, and to honor the writers and artists who responded to its challenges with courage and creativity.

The Poem’s Religious Imagery

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden employs religious imagery to convey the poem’s themes of sin, redemption, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. The poem’s opening lines, “In the beginning was the Word, / And the Word was with God, / And the Word was God,” allude to the Gospel of John and establish a biblical tone that permeates the entire work. Throughout the poem, Auden references the Garden of Eden, the crucifixion of Christ, and the Book of Revelation, among other religious motifs. These images serve to underscore the poem’s central message: that humanity’s fall from grace has left us adrift in a world of confusion and suffering, but that there is hope for redemption through faith and self-reflection. By drawing on these powerful religious symbols, Auden creates a work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant, inviting readers of all backgrounds to contemplate the mysteries of existence and the human condition.

The Role of Memory

Memory plays a crucial role in W.H. Auden’s “The Watershed.” The poem explores the idea of a turning point in one’s life, where the past and present collide and force the individual to make a decision. Memory serves as a tool for the speaker to reflect on their past experiences and how they have led them to this moment.

Throughout the poem, the speaker recalls various memories, such as the “first love” and “the first death.” These memories serve as a reminder of the speaker’s mortality and the fleeting nature of life. They also highlight the importance of making the right decision at the watershed moment, as it could have a significant impact on the rest of their life.

Furthermore, memory is also used to contrast the past and present. The speaker reflects on how their past self would have reacted to the current situation and how they have changed over time. This contrast emphasizes the significance of the watershed moment and the need for the speaker to make a decision that aligns with their current values and beliefs.

In conclusion, memory plays a crucial role in “The Watershed” by W.H. Auden. It serves as a tool for the speaker to reflect on their past experiences and how they have led them to this moment. Memory also highlights the importance of making the right decision at the watershed moment and the significance of personal growth and change over time.

The Poem’s Ambiguity

One of the most striking features of “The Watershed” is its ambiguity. Auden deliberately leaves many elements of the poem open to interpretation, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions about the meaning and significance of the work. This ambiguity is evident from the very beginning of the poem, which opens with a series of questions that are never fully answered. The speaker asks, “What is the truth? What is the use / Of a violent kind of delightfulness?” These questions set the tone for the rest of the poem, which is full of uncertainty and ambiguity. Throughout the work, Auden uses language that is deliberately vague and open-ended, leaving readers to fill in the gaps and make their own sense of the text. This ambiguity is both frustrating and fascinating, as it forces readers to engage with the poem on a deeper level and to think critically about the ideas and themes that it presents. Ultimately, the ambiguity of “The Watershed” is one of its greatest strengths, as it allows the poem to speak to a wide range of readers and to remain relevant and thought-provoking long after it was written.

The Poem’s Language and Diction

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden employs a language that is both simple and complex, using words that are easily understood yet carrying a depth of meaning that requires careful consideration. The diction of the poem is precise and deliberate, with each word chosen for its specific connotation and effect. The use of metaphors and imagery adds to the richness of the language, creating a vivid and evocative picture of the natural world. The poem’s language and diction contribute to its overall theme of the transformative power of nature, as well as its exploration of the human experience of change and growth.

The Poem’s Allusions

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden makes use of several allusions to other literary works and historical events. One of the most prominent allusions is to the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. The poem’s title itself refers to the point in a river where the water flows in opposite directions, much like the dividing line between the floodwaters and the dry land in the story of Noah. Additionally, the poem’s description of the “two by two” animals boarding the ark and the “dove with an olive branch” allude directly to the biblical tale.

Auden also alludes to the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with the line “the music of Orpheus was the only thing that could make stones weep.” This reference highlights the power of music and art to move even the most unfeeling of objects.

Finally, the poem’s mention of “the year of the Munich agreement” alludes to the political climate of the time in which Auden was writing. The Munich agreement, signed in 1938, allowed Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia, and is often seen as a symbol of appeasement and the failure of diplomacy in the lead-up to World War II. By including this reference, Auden is commenting on the dangers of political complacency and the need for decisive action in the face of tyranny.

The Poem’s Metaphors

In “The Watershed,” W.H. Auden employs a variety of metaphors to convey the poem’s central themes. One of the most striking metaphors is that of the watershed itself, which serves as a symbol for the division between two worlds: the world of childhood innocence and the world of adult experience. The poem’s speaker reflects on the moment when he crossed this watershed, leaving behind the carefree days of his youth and entering into a world of responsibility and hardship.

Another powerful metaphor in the poem is that of the river, which represents the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The speaker describes the river as “a force that cannot be denied,” carrying him inexorably towards his future. This metaphor underscores the poem’s themes of mortality and the fleeting nature of life.

Throughout the poem, Auden also employs a number of animal metaphors to explore the speaker’s emotional state. For example, he describes himself as a “beast of burden,” weighed down by the burdens of adulthood. He also compares himself to a “caged bird,” trapped in a life that he cannot escape. These metaphors serve to deepen our understanding of the speaker’s feelings of frustration and despair.

Overall, the metaphors in “The Watershed” are rich and complex, adding depth and nuance to the poem’s exploration of the human experience. Through these metaphors, Auden invites us to reflect on our own journeys through life, and the ways in which we navigate the challenges and transitions that we encounter along the way.

The Poem’s Irony

The poem’s irony is a crucial element in understanding the overall message of “The Watershed.” Auden employs irony to highlight the absurdity of human behavior and the futility of trying to control nature. The speaker’s attempts to divert the river and control its flow are ultimately futile, as the river continues to flow and change course regardless of human intervention. This irony serves as a commentary on the hubris of humanity and the need to respect the power of nature. Additionally, the poem’s use of irony underscores the theme of impermanence and the inevitability of change. Despite the speaker’s efforts to control the river, the landscape is constantly shifting and evolving, reminding us of the transience of all things. Overall, the poem’s irony adds depth and complexity to its message, inviting readers to reflect on the relationship between humanity and the natural world.

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Watershed Moment

Dams help us. dams harm us. now, longtime adversaries are coming together to bridge that uncomfortable divide..

Reading time min

By Tracie White

Editor’s Note: The print version of this story mistakenly states that solar and wind energy cannot be stored. Many technologies today can store electricity generated from wind, solar and other sources. We regret the error.

D ave Steindorf knows California’s North Fork Feather River like his backyard. He’s driven along its banks so many times, people wave to him as he goes by. As he passes, he takes mental notes about any day-to-day changes—silt backup in reservoirs that could muck up habitat, or river levels low enough to threaten frog and trout spawning grounds. His personal slogan is “Couch potatoes make poor river advocates,” so he gets out in the river whenever he can, on his kayak or with a fly-fishing rod in his hands. 

“It’s still beautiful up here,” says Steindorf, a negotiator for the conservation nonprofit American Whitewater who works to return water flow to California rivers and to repair ecological damage caused by dams. “It’s just an amazing canyon.”

Absent all the dams, this would be one of the premier whitewater rivers in the state for paddling and rafting, he says. As he drives, he points down through the oak and cottonwood trees to several dams that, one after the other, line the river and control the water flow: the Poe dam, built in 1958; the Rock Creek (1950) and Cresta (1949) dams; and Bucks, the first permanent pair of dams on the North Fork, completed in 1928.

From its headwaters in the Sierra Nevada, the Feather River flows some 3,600 feet downhill, where, in Oroville, it meets the tallest dam in the nation. Its path shows exactly why California geology is ideal for the production of hydropower. It’s physics. The higher the mountains, the faster the water falls. Hydropower dams capture this power and divert it through spinning turbines in nearby powerhouses that activate generators to produce electricity. But all this hydropower comes at a cost.

‘The challenge is understanding whether hydropower is clean energy, and the view among conservationists is mixed. The desire to get more clean, renewable energy, though, is really high.’

The river was once legendary for its salmon runs, but the dams blocked migration upstream, destroying the fish’s spawning grounds, Steindorf says. He still comes up here to fly-fish for trout, but the salmon are all gone. He notes the lack of fish ladders—step-up structures that help migrating fish surmount dams. And yet he also knows these dams are a permanent part of the landscape, bringing electricity into thousands of homes throughout the Sacramento Valley, including his own.

Now, the irony is that the hydroelectricity produced by these dams could help protect the watershed from further damage—the idea being that by limiting our use of fossil fuels, we mitigate climate change and its destruction of ecosystems due to drought and flooding. For an environmentalist who has worked for decades to repair damage to rivers from dams, it can be a hard concept to wrap one’s head around.

In 2018, Steindorf wanted to do just that, so he joined a working group on hydropower and healthy rivers convened through Stanford’s Uncommon Dialogue program. Organized by Dan Reicher, JD ’83, a senior research scholar at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, the gathering brought together two long-feuding groups: representatives of the hydropower industry, which builds and maintains dams, and the environmentalists bent on tearing them down. The goal was to get the sides talking about the pros and cons of hydropower, and about maintaining healthy rivers. Since then, they’ve come to substantial agreement—14 pages of it, in fact—and are using that agreement to effect public policy change, including billions of dollars in federal funding.

“It’s remarkable Dan was able to get these groups together at all,” Steindorf says.

“There’s a lot of baggage.”

The 100-Year Feud

In fact, turmoil over the building of a dam in the early 1900s helped launch the environmental movement. The proposed damming of California’s pristine Hetch Hetchy Valley, twin sister to Yosemite Valley, prompted the fledgling Sierra Club, led by early conservationist John Muir, to wage a seven-year-long lobbying battle to stop it. The Sierra Club lost, and today the Hetch Hetchy Water Project produces hydroelectricity and delivers drinking water to 2.7 million people in the Bay Area. But as the valley disappeared beneath the waters of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, an environmental movement emerged, built upon a mission to take down—and prevent—dams.

For more than a century, the battle over dams has raged. One side believes it’s fighting for the preservation of rivers, Native lands and the natural world: Dams have destroyed fish populations, damaged the ecological health of river basins, and cut off access and destroyed the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples. Notably, the 2014 documentary DamNation  juxtaposed a clip of President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the dedication of the Hoover Dam with that of a 30-pound salmon hurtling itself against a dam over and over in its failed attempt to reach the barricaded spawning grounds upriver.

The other side stands proud of its dams as feats of engineering that deliver electricity into American homes and water to parched lands. Hydroelectricity created by the Hetch Hetchy power system, for example, generates nearly 20 percent of San Francisco’s energy. Dams provide jobs and revenue, drinking water, irrigation to agricultural fields and flood control, not to mention reservoirs for recreation. The Oroville Dam has minimized damage from major flooding events in the Feather River watershed nearly every decade since its construction, according to the Water Education Foundation.

Today, there are more than 90,000 dams across the United States, diverting many of the nation’s river waters. Unlike the North Fork Feather River’s dams, most were built primarily for irrigation or flood control and don’t actually produce hydropower. Only 3 percent of all U.S. dams are powered, but they produce a significant 7 percent of the nation’s electricity. Which raises the question: Why, when the need for renewable energy has never been greater, aren’t more dams producing hydropower, a renewable energy available 24/7—at least, as long as rivers continue to flow?

This was exactly the type of question that Reicher, an environmental lawyer, began to ponder more than four years ago while teaching energy policy classes at Stanford. Well versed in the politics and economics of solar and wind power, Reicher, a former U.S. assistant secretary of energy, understood the growing need for renewable energy. He began to wonder why more people weren’t talking about hydropower. An avid kayaker (and member of the first team to paddle the entire 1,888-mile Rio Grande), he also considers himself an environmentalist who has seen firsthand the damage dams can do to rivers. Would it be possible, he wondered, to create additional hydroelectricity without causing even more ecological harm to American rivers?

Reicher soon approached Chris Field, PhD ’81,  a professor of earth system science and of biology who directs the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, and asked whether he could tackle that question through the institute’s Uncommon Dialogue program. For more than a decade, the program has provided a neutral platform to bring together divergent groups in search of real-world solutions to environmental problems. “These two groups have been at each other’s throats for decades,” Reicher says. But with severe droughts and floods threatening to damage both rivers and the dams that depend on them, maybe they could find some common ground. Field agreed to the plan. The Woods Institute went on to co-sponsor the group alongside Stanford’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance (where Reicher was the founding director) and the nonprofit Energy Futures Initiative.

 “There was really just a glimmer of hope that this one would work,” Field says. “It would be hard to find two communities more diametrically opposed to each other than environmentalists and the hydropower industry.”

In the Room Where It Happens

Brian Graber, a civil and environmental engineer, has worked for the past 15 years on the removal of 250 dams for the conservation group American Rivers. Many of the dams were obsolete—they no longer performed any of the functions for which they were built—but they continued to create safety hazards and environmental damage. When a dam comes down, he says, almost immediately the river roars back to life. Migrating fish populations return to old spawning grounds after decades away. The natural flowing rivers eventually remove pollutants from previously stagnant waters and re-establish normal sediment patterns, while an entire watershed blossoms with returning plant and animal life. According to the Nature Conservancy, roughly 1,200 dams nationwide have been torn down since the first major dam removal in 1999. That year, the Edwards Dam was excised from Maine’s Kennebec River—the same river where Graber happened to spend summers while he was growing up.

“There’s no faster or more effective way of bringing a river back to life than by taking out a dam,” he says. He’s watched many times as a hydraulic hammer chips away at the concrete wall  until the dam crumbles down. “That first rush of water, it’s incredibly exciting,” he says. “After years of work, it’s like a big sigh. I worked on one project in Wisconsin. We had just taken out a dam and I was standing in the river. A brook trout swam right between my legs where, for many years, there hadn’t been any.”

But the reality is, the long process of planning and lobbying to tear down dams is far too slow to be the only answer to restoring rivers. Climate change is threatening American rivers now, Graber says. He joined Reicher’s Uncommon Dialogue in search of new answers.

In March 2018, a group of about 20 participants invited by Reicher arrived on the Stanford campus for the first meeting of the Uncommon Dialogue on hydropower. Among them were representatives from the environmental advocacy groups American Rivers, the Nature Conservancy, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Tribal representatives were also there, along with hydropower company representatives, investors and lobbyists. The tension was palpable during those first few meetings, Reicher says, and there was a good deal of posturing going on.

First, everyone’s fears needed to be aired out. The hydropower groups saw dam removal efforts as threats to their livelihood. And across the table sat the people who tore them down—individuals who thought that anyone trying to build a dam didn’t care at all about the environment. It took a lot of back and forth to figure out that some of this old baggage could be chucked.

“First off, the U.S. hasn’t built any major new dams in 50 years. That era of big dam building is over,” says Malcolm Woolf, president and CEO of the National Hydropower Association, which represents more than 250 companies in the hydropower industry. Besides, he says, most of the good spots have already been taken. On the flip side, most of the dams these environmental groups were working to tear down were obsolete anyway and weren’t producing hydropower. Many were rundown old mill dams that polluted rivers. “It took getting industry to understand they don’t have to fight every time [others] talked about dam removal,” Woolf says.

Meanwhile, some river advocates didn’t even want to recognize hydropower as clean energy, Graber says. “The challenge is understanding whether hydropower is clean energy, and the view among conservationists is mixed,” he says. “The desire to get more clean, renewable energy, though, is really high.” He refers to hydropower as clean energy, but with a caveat. Dams can, and must, be managed so that they are less damaging to the environment.

The participants were never going to agree on everything. That was apparent from the get-go. But they kept coming back. “Both sides recognized that because of climate change and our collective agendas, we have to find a way to get to yes,” Woolf says. Over 2 1/2 years of meetings and conversations, they began to reach some compromises. What they did agree on was that to produce more hydropower while continuing to restore rivers would take funding. If they could agree on anything, it was that.

Common Ground

The Oroville Dam, which sits majestically on a hillside overlooking the city, is a triumph of engineering. The 770-foot-high embankment retains the contents of Lake Oroville—about 3.5 million acre-feet—and distributes the waters of the Feather River to the entire Sacramento Valley. (One acre-foot equals 326,000 gallons—enough to cover a football field with one foot of water.) The dam was built in 1968 to provide hydropower and to deliver irrigation and drinking water far across the state, including to Southern California and the agricultural fields of the San Joaquin Valley.

Five years ago, amid heavy rains and due to weak infrastructure in the spillways designed to divert floodwaters, Oroville Dam made headlines. Over seven days, media showed the billowing, frothing white waters of the Feather River crashing across the damaged spillways. Fearing the spillways would collapse, resulting in the release of a 30-foot wall of water onto Oroville and the communities below, authorities evacuated nearly 200,000 people from the valley. The rains eventually stopped, the waters receded, and no lives were lost. The cost of repair topped $1.1 billion.

For a moment in time, this got even politicians in Washington, D.C., talking about dams. Infrastructure, apparently, wasn’t all about roads and bridges. A few years later, a report by the American Society of Civil Engineers found that more than 70 percent of the nation’s dams would be over 50 years old by 2030, and many of those no longer meet safety standards due to the weather fluctuations caused by climate change.

‘Both sides recognized that because of climate change and our collective agendas, we have to find a way to get to yes.’

“Several years prior to that disaster, conservation groups warned that the Oroville Dam’s spillways needed to be upgraded,” Steindorf says, “but nothing was done.” At the Uncommon Dialogue, safety became the No. 1 issue that all sides could get behind. Then the negotiations really took off. Another story about a water restoration project on the Penobscot River in Maine became a model for them to base their work on, Reicher says.

The Penobscot restoration project, completed in 2016, was a collaborative effort to balance fisheries restoration and hydropower production in the state’s largest watershed. The hydropower industry, river advocates and the Penobscot Indian Nation, long in conflict with one another, had negotiated for six years. The upshot was that some useless dams got torn down; new fish ladders got installed; and hydropower production levels were maintained.

“The Penobscot project took out two big dams, changed the operation of others, and opened a thousand miles of habitat for Atlantic salmon while continuing to generate electricity,” says Bob Irvin, who represented American Rivers at the Uncommon Dialogue until his retirement in January. (New president Tom Kiernan, MBA ’89, has grabbed the baton.) “It was our model: How can we do this around the country?”

Members began to pinpoint overlapping interests. The environmentalists agreed to help push for more hydropower to be added to existing dams, but only if it were done as safely as possible for the ecosystem. The hydropower industry agreed to support the removal or rehabilitation of dams that were dangerous or obsolete.

Reicher had become particularly interested in hydropower’s growth potential as a renewable energy because of its electricity storage capacity. Hydropower projects that include pumped storage, such as the Oroville Dam, push water from a lower reservoir up to a higher one when there is excess electricity in the grid. The water gets stored there—picture the reservoir as a battery—until it’s needed. Then it’s released downstream to spin the turbines that activate generators to create electricity, just like conventional hydropower.

Here was an energy source that could feed the power grid when solar and wind were unavailable to keep it constantly running with zero-carbon emissions. “That was an eye opener to me,” Reicher says. Thus continued the give-and-take behind the Uncommon Dialogue’s eventual compromise: I’ll support more pumped storage if you  get behind funding for new fish ladders.

“Trying to find commonality and agreement was hard,” says Mary Pavel, a lawyer representing the Skokomish Tribe of Washington state, whose culture and livelihood were trammeled by the construction of the Cushman Dam on the Skokomish River in 1930. She’s been a member of the Uncommon Dialogue for four years.

“I often have to take my advocate hat off and really try to listen,” she says. “A dam nearly destroyed my reservation, and I’ve got to get it back. But if we push for our interests alone, then nothing gets done. That is really the point of the Uncommon Dialogue. Are we better off with nothing? Most people would say no. There has to be a place for dialogue.”

Giving a Dam

In October 2020, the Uncommon Dialogue members had finally agreed on enough to fill a 14-page document. When they published their agreement, the New York Times considered it groundbreaking enough to run a story headlined “Environmentalists and Dam Operators, at War for Years, Start Making Peace.”

 Their lodestar is what they call the “three R’s”:

 • Rehabilitating: to upgrade all U.S. dams to current technological standards, making them safe and bolstering their resilience to the effects of climate change

 • Retrofitting: to add hydropower to more dams and develop additional pumped storage capacity at existing powered dams while enhancing dam and reservoir operations for fish passage

 • Removing:  to tear down unsafe dams that can’t be cost-effectively repaired or those causing harmful impacts to the environment that can’t be adequately mitigated

Once they had developed the agreement, the members began anew, this time collaborating to advocate for increased funding for their plan through lobbying and the legislative process. The group began with an initial $63 billion proposal delivered to the Biden administration and Congress on April 23, 2021, that “if fully enacted,” it says, “would support or create approximately 500,000 good-paying jobs, restore over 20,000 miles of rivers, enhancing their climate resilience, and secure more than 80 gigawatts of existing renewable hydropower and 23 gigawatts of electricity storage capacity.” (Those numbers represent the nation’s total hydropower capacity.)

That proposal remains a work-in-progress, one that the group continues to rely on and revise to press for federal support. After negotiations on the original proposal with Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire and others, it was revised into the Twenty-First  Century Dams Act and introduced to the House in July 2021. The bill, if passed, would allot $21.1 billion in federal funds to “enhance the safety, grid resilience benefits and power generating capacity of America’s dams and provide historic funding to remove dams that are no longer necessary,” according to a press release from the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, ’55, the Democrat who introduced the bill in the Senate.

Around the same time, the Uncommon Dialogue on hydropower also delivered a funding proposal to Congress in time to influence negotiations on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. This time, the team worked with politicians including Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio and longtime kayaking buddy of Reicher’s from their Dartmouth College years. (The two paddled together after law school on the Yangtze River in China before the building of the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, Three Gorges.) 

‘Are we better off with nothing? Most people would say no. There has to be a place for dialogue.’

When President Biden signed the infrastructure bill into law on November 15, 2021, it included $2.4 billion for dams, including roughly $800 million for dam removal, $800 million for dam safety and $800 million for dam retrofitting. “This is a rare example of people getting out of their bubbles and working together to solve problems,” says the Hydropower Association’s Woolf. “It hasn’t been easy, but it rang the cash register faster than anyone would have expected.”

Portman says the Uncommon Dialogue proposal played a key role in influencing the allotment of funds. “The $2.4 billion is a lot of money for dams that generally go ignored,” he says. “My hope is we can continue to work with Uncommon Dialogue in the future.”

“That was a huge success,” says Graber of American Rivers. “We see it as a down payment for what’s really needed.”

And so the work continues. Members meet over Zoom multiple times a week, working hard to get more funding for the three R’s. One of their many projects includes pushing for three-R provisions in the proposed Water Resources Development Act of 2022. Another is advocating for tax credits for those who invest in the three R’s. “All of the three R’s are expensive,” Graber notes. “Tax credits could help out.” And this spring, the group sent a new agreement to Capitol Hill recommending changes to federal dam licensing processes.

Members admit that over the years, they’ve even become friends with former adversaries. They don’t always agree, of course, but the previous animosity has been replaced by a willingness to listen. “What I learned from my conservation work over the years is that each side has the ability to block the other side from getting anything they want done,” says Irvin, the former American Rivers president. “It takes cooperation and dialogue.” The success of the project has inspired a new Uncommon Dialogue, one that began in February on controversies over where to build future large solar projects, Reicher says. 

Steindorf continues to work full time on getting utility companies to increase water flow along the Feather River and beyond, while squeezing in several Uncommon Dialogue meetings a week during his spare hours. Now, thanks to the work of the group, there may be money available from the infrastructure bill to install fish ladders on the North Fork Feather River, he says, and perhaps even to modernize old turbines built 70 years ago with 100-year-old technology. It will be a race to keep up with climate change. Last summer, Oroville Lake’s record low level prevented hydropower generation for the first time since the dam opened in 1968. 

He shakes his head at the warm February day.

“California and the West are in the midst of the worst drought in 1,200 years,” he says, scanning the horizon for any sign of snow dusting the Sierra Nevada. Beneath him flowed the river dependent on that snowmelt, at the mercy of the many it sustains. 

Tracie White is a senior writer at Stanford. Email her at [email protected] .

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Land & Water Stories

How We Protect Watersheds

Water supplies, animal habitat, and recreation are all dependent on healthy watersheds.

A watershed is an area of land that drains rain water or snow into one location such as a stream, lake or wetland. These water bodies supply our drinking water, water for agriculture and manufacturing, offer opportunities for recreation (canoeing and fishing, anyone?) and provide habitat to numerous plants and animals. Unfortunately various forms of pollution, including runoff and erosion, can interfere with the health of the watershed. Therefore, it is important to protect the quality of our watersheds.  

Why Do We Need Healthy Watersheds?

Watersheds sustain life, in more ways than one.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than $450 billion in foods, fiber, manufactured goods and tourism depend on clean, healthy watersheds. That is why proper watershed protection is necessary to you and your community.

Watershed protection is a means of protecting a lake, river, or stream by managing the entire watershed that drains into it. Clean, healthy watersheds depend on an informed public to make the right decisions when it comes to the environment and actions made by the community.  

Why We Need to Protect Our Watersheds

Earth is covered in 70% water and unfortunately 40-50% of our nation's waters are impaired or threatened.  "Impaired" means that the water body does not support one or more of its intended uses. This could mean that the water is not suitable to drink, swim in or to consume the fish that was caught there.

The leading causes of pollution in our waterways are sediments, bacteria (such as E. coli) and excess nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus). Although nutrients sound like things that belong in a healthy environment, they can cause big problems in a poorly managed watershed. For instance, sediment can suffocate fish by clogging their gills and the presence of bacteria alone can indicate that other viruses and germs can be found in the water as well. Erosion, runoff of animal waste and overflowing of combined sewers are just a few ways these pollutants reach our waters.  

What You Can do to Help

The EPA offers their tips on how you can help keep your watershed clean and healthy.  

• Conserve water every day. Take shorter showers, fix leaks & turn off the water when not in use.
• Don’t pour toxic household chemicals down the drain; take them to a hazardous waste center.
• Use hardy plants that require little or no watering, fertilizers or pesticides in your yard.
• Do not over apply fertilizers. Consider using organic or slow release fertilizers instead.
• Recycle yard waste in a compost pile & use a mulching mower.
• Use surfaces like wood, brick or gravel for decks & walkways, which allows rain to soak in and not run off.
• Never pour used oil or antifreeze into the storm drain or the street.
• Pick up after your dog, and dispose of the waste in the toilet or the trash.
• Drive less—walk or bike; many pollutants in our waters come from car exhaust and car leaks.

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Watershed Moment Meaning and Examples

A watershed moment is a significant and pivotal point in time or an event that marks a turning point in a situation, a period, or a person's life. It is a critical moment that has a profound impact on the course of events, often leading to important changes or decisions.

For instance, imagine a company struggling with financial difficulties and a declining reputation due to mismanagement. The appointment of a new, visionary CEO who implements successful strategies and leads the company to financial recovery can be seen as a watershed moment for the organization. It marks the turning point from a period of decline to one of growth and success.

A watershed moment can be used in various contexts, whether in personal life, history, science, or in a corporate setting. The term is particularly commonly used in historical turning points and scientific breakthroughs.

Example sentences

• The signing of the peace treaty was a watershed moment in the history of the two warring nations.
• Her graduation from college marked a personal watershed moment, as she transitioned into the professional world.
• The introduction of the smartphone was a watershed moment in the evolution of communication technology.
• The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century was a watershed moment in medicine.
• The civil rights movement in the 1960s represented a watershed moment in the struggle for equality.
• Winning the championship was a watershed moment for the team, marking their first major victory in years.
• The invention of the Internet brought about a watershed moment in the way information is accessed and shared.
• The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was a watershed moment in the reunification of Germany.
• The CEO's resignation and subsequent changes in corporate leadership were a watershed moment for the troubled company.
• The scientific breakthrough had the potential to be a watershed moment in the field of renewable energy.

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Antiquate Meaning and Examples

Develope or develop or developement or development: which is correct.

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50 Years After 1968, We Are Still Living In Its Shadow

N o one in the loop–including, almost surely, the man himself–was sure he would really do it. On March 31, 1968, Lyndon B. Johnson was scheduled to address the nation about the Vietnam War at 9 p.m. He had drafted a short section for the end of the speech announcing that he would not seek re-election in November. The President had talked about it with family and a few advisers, but the circle of trust was small after more than four years of tumult and war. As political a man who ever drew breath, Johnson kept his options open through the afternoon hours. At one point, the President stopped in his aide Marvin Watson’s office to talk about the race with Terry Sanford, the former North Carolina governor who had agreed to manage the 1968 campaign. “After spending all day at the White House,” recalled Johnson adviser John P. Roche, “Terry Sanford left for the airport still under the impression that he was the campaign manager.” Only a few hours later, on television, Johnson withdrew, solemnly drawling, “I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.” Roche couldn’t believe it. “I had already put an LBJ ’68 bumper sticker on my car,” he said, “and I was wearing an LBJ ’68 button. We were left with 15,000 of the goddamn things.”

The watershed of 1968 was that kind of year: one of surprises and reversals, of blasted hopes and rising fears, of scuttled plans and unexpected new realities. We have embarked on the 50th anniversary of a year that stands with 1776, 1861 and 1941 as points in time when everything in American history changed. As with the Declaration of Independence, the firing on Fort Sumter and the attack on Pearl Harbor, the events of ’68 were intensely dramatic and lastingly consequential. From the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in April and of Robert F. Kennedy in June to the violence at the Democratic National Convention in August to the election of Richard Nixon in November, we live even now in the long shadow of the cascading crises of that year.

History shouldn’t be a cultural Zoloft, alleviating the pervasive depression of a time as dispiriting as our own in 2018. The past can, however, give us a sense of proportion–a framework in which to assess where our discontent ranks in terms of what has come before. And in that light, there’s an element of reassurance in looking back on 1968 from the perspective of half a century. A book by British journalists on America in 1968 was titled, aptly, An American Melodrama; the year was also, inescapably, a time of American tragedy. For all the unhappiness and madness of the present, for all the tribal conflicts of the Age of Trump, we are not–at this hour, anyway–engaged in a consuming war, and political violence is largely restricted to argumentative agitation. Tet, we should remember, was worse than any single tweet.

As 1968 began, the war in Vietnam was going badly and was about to get worse. More than half a million U.S. troops were there, and combat deaths occurred at a rate of about 46 U.S. troops a day, for a total of 16,899 that year. It was a terrible, tragic time. The promises of JFK’s New Frontier and LBJ’s Great Society seemed irretrievably lost in the humid jungles and sharp elephant grass of Southeast Asia. Johnson’s decision in March to stand down from re-election was the result of the apparent insuperability of the war. From the first phase of his presidency, in the wake of John F. Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, Johnson had worried that Vietnam posed a tragic trap, and his worst anxieties had come true.

Four days after his March 31 speech, Johnson received word that King had been shot to death on a motel balcony in Memphis, where the civil rights leader was headquartered as he supported a strike of sanitation workers. King was not yet 40 years old. Thrust into history by the antisegregation Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, a movement set off by Rosa Parks’ refusal to surrender her seat to a white passenger, King had been crucial in the formation and promulgation of the civil rights crusade’s commitment to nonviolence. By framing the struggle against Jim Crow and for equal opportunity as a fulfillment of Thomas Jefferson’s promises in the Declaration, the African-American Southern Baptist minister had become, in the phrase of historian Taylor Branch, a “new founding father.”

On the road in Indianapolis, Robert F. Kennedy, who was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, learned about King’s murder from R.W. Apple Jr. of the New York Times. Wearing an overcoat that had belonged to his brother Jack, RFK broke the news to an inner-city crowd. “What we need in the United States,” he said, “is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness; but is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.”

A noble moment, but the fates were not yet satisfied. In April, Jacqueline Kennedy had shared her premonition of disaster. “Do you know what I think will happen to Bobby?” she asked Arthur Schlesinger Jr. “The same thing that happened to Jack … There is so much hatred in this country.” She was proved correct in June, when Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California primary. Back in the ballroom, a woman screamed, “No, God, no. It’s happened again.”

The fear that the world was out of balance in a fundamental way helped Nixon, who had only narrowly lost to John F. Kennedy eight years earlier, prevail, also narrowly, in November against Hubert Humphrey. The dynamics of the ’68 campaign resonate still: Nixon–advised, among others, by Roger Ailes, who would go on to found Fox News–campaigned on a cultural populism, arguing that elites were undercutting American greatness and implying that minorities were too.

Even more relevant to our current politics was the presence, and ultimate performance, of a third-party candidate in 1968, George C. Wallace of Alabama. A cigar-chewing segregationist and populist, Wallace campaigned as a champion of the common white man. “You just watch him in the years ahead,” an Alabama political observer told Wallace biographer Marshall Frady in 1967. “He can use all the other issues–law and order, running your own schools, protecting property rights–and never mention race. But people will still know he’s tellin’ ’em, ‘A nigger’s trying to get your job, trying to move into your neighborhood.’ What Wallace is doing is talking to them in a kind of shorthand, a kind of code.” And it worked. In November, Wallace carried 13.5% of the popular vote nationally and won five states: Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi, giving him 46 electoral votes. It was not a bad starting point for a subsequent populist candidate who would tell voters that walls and tariffs would bring back the America they thought they had once known.

As battered and beleaguered as he felt, Johnson, that old New Dealer, never gave up hope. After his last speech, delivered in December 1972 at a civil rights conference at his presidential library–he would be dead within six weeks–he urged activists to fight on. “Let’s try to get our folks reasoning together and reasoning with the Congress, with the Cabinet!” the former President said. “Reason with the leadership and with the President! … And you don’t need to start off by saying he’s terrible–because he doesn’t think he’s terrible. Start talking about how you believe that he wants to do what’s right and how you believe this is right and you’ll be surprised how many men who want to do what’s right will try to help you.” Perhaps, half a century on, in our own troubled time, we can appropriate that benediction as the resonant lesson of a brutal age.

For more on these stories, visit time.com/ideas

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Watershed moments

The effects of climate change cannot be handled piecemeal, argues Derek Hoeferlin. Managing 21st-century waterways will require coordination on a continental scale — and a foundational understanding of how water shapes our environment.

From headwaters near Salem, Missouri, the Meramec River snakes 218 free-flowing miles, through 14 counties and scores of towns, skirting St. Louis before emptying into the mighty Mississippi.

Derek Hoeferlin grew up outside St. Louis, on a wooded hill close to the Meramec. As he commuted to school along Interstate 44, he’d cross the river and its sprawling floodplain twice or more each day.

“It’s always mesmerized me,” Hoeferlin recalls. “Something about its meandering made me daydream. Rivers don’t give a damn about north or south, east or west — or interstates for that matter. Water flows where water wants to flow.”

Today Hoeferlin is a licensed architect and chair of both landscape architecture and urban design programs in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. In many ways, rivers have become his life’s work. But the daydreams are tempered by a growing sense of urgency.

“Architecture is facing a series of very complex global issues. And that’s made me really question my own role. What are the ethics of building near water? What is the ethical response to something like Hurricane Katrina? To the impact of climate change in general?” — derek hoeferlin

“Too often, architects are responding to emergencies,” he adds. “It’s triage work. But we need to be more proactive. We need to think more holistically across scales and systems.”

The ‘lawless stream’

In North America, no system is larger or more complex than the Mississippi River basin. Measuring more than 1,245,000 square miles, the basin encompasses 31 states and portions of two Canadian provinces. At its center flows the Mississippi itself — the “lawless stream,” in Mark Twain’s famous phrase, that can be neither curbed nor confined.

As a college student, Hoeferlin followed the Mississippi south to New Orleans, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from Tulane University in 1997. He then spent six years in practice with the New Orleans firm Waggonner & Ball.

“New Orleans is a great place to spend your twenties,” Hoeferlin says fondly. “The city was good to me. Some of my closest friends and most talented collaborators still live and do amazing work there.

“But looking back, other than taking the occasional swamp tour or watching freighters pass by the levees, I never thought much about the city’s relationship with water.”

That changed on Aug. 29, 2005. Hoeferlin had just returned to St. Louis, after earning a post-professional master’s degree from Yale, and joined the Sam Fox School’s College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design.

His first faculty meeting took place the morning after Katrina made landfall. Amidst the introductions, levees began to fail in New Orleans. The dread was unbearable. “I didn’t know if my friends were alive or dead,” he says.

Changing course

As recovery from Katrina began, Hoeferlin consulted on water-management projects with Waggonner & Ball. He also joined H3 Studio, Inc., the St. Louis–based practice led by Sam Fox School Professor John Hoal. In 2006, H3 Studio became one of five national firms charged with overseeing the Unified New Orleans Plan.

It was a massive effort. Funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Clinton-Bush Katrina Fund and the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the plan aimed to develop a comprehensive, citywide rebuilding framework. Hoal, Hoeferlin and numerous Sam Fox School alumni and students spent months documenting conditions, listening to residents, evaluating public priorities and assessing future risks.

Other collaborative water-related planning projects quickly followed, including “Gutter to Gulf” (2008), with Elise Shelley from the University of Toronto and former WashU colleague Jane Wolff; “Rising Tides” (2009), with Ian Caine from the University of Texas; and “Dutch Dialogues” (2010), led by Waggonner & Ball. Hoeferlin also won a 2010 Sam Fox School Creative Activity Research Grant to support field research in the Mekong River delta.

In 2013, Hoal and Hoeferlin joined forces with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington, D.C., for the climate change conference “MISI-ZIIBI: Living with the Great Rivers.” In 2014, led by Hoal, they launched STUDIO MISI-ZIIBI, a yearslong planning initiative that, among other ideas, advocated moving the mouth of the Mississippi, or “head of passes,” 40 miles upriver.

It was (and remains) a radical and contentious proposal. But Hoeferlin points out that the lower Mississippi would have jumped banks and joined the Atchafalaya decades ago if not for the Old River Control Structure, a vast system of locks and dams north of Baton Rouge. Relocating the river’s mouth — from Pilottown to West Pointe à la Hache — would acknowledge the truth of rising oceans while rendering the remaining channel faster, steeper and more resistant to storms.

“The delta today is already an engineered landscape,” Hoeferlin says. “It’s an amazing system, but it’s a 20th-century system. It doesn’t account for climate change, population shift and other variables. And if it fails, the results will be catastrophic.”

A wake-up call

Through it all, Hoeferlin came to three major realizations.

First, though climate change conversations often center on cities like Miami, New York and, of course, New Orleans, the roots of coastal erosion and wetlands loss can start hundreds, if not thousands, of miles upstream.

“Deltas want to grow,” Hoeferlin explains. But their basic building block is rich river sediment. And over the last century, an over-reliance on dams and levees has cut the amount of sediment reaching the coasts by half or more.

“If you radically alter the flow of a river, it will not perform like it did before. Today, the deltas are starving.” — Derek hoeferlin

Which leads to the second realization: Climate changes are, by definition, changes to vast systems. Managing their effects will require extraordinary coordination. It can’t be done piecemeal.

Third, and perhaps most important, Hoeferlin realized water is not the enemy. “We need water,” he says. “Life and society depend on water. Around the world, delta regions are often the lifeblood of their nations’ economies.”

But too often, we’ve tried to keep water out, rather than to fully understand its place within larger landscapes. As a result, many of our worst water-related disasters — from floods and contaminations to sinking lands and disappearing habitats — are the direct, if unintended, consequences of human activity.

“We have to learn to live with water,” Hoeferlin says, because one way or another, “water always wins.”

Rising seas constrain farmers

At approximately 300,000 square miles, the Mekong River basin is one-quarter the size of the Mississippi basin but contains a roughly equivalent population, around 60 million people. It weaves through six countries and serves as a primary trade route from the Tibetan plateau to the South China Sea.

A generation ago, rice farmers in the Mekong delta’s “nine dragons” region — so named for its nine ocean outlets — could reliably grow three annual harvests, an expectation codified into Vietnam’s “three-rice” agricultural policy. Today, coastal erosion, sand mining, rising sea levels and salt water intrusion are limiting many farmers to a single harvest each year.

“The old systems, the existing frameworks, don’t work anymore,” Hoeferlin says. “But farmers are still beholden to the old policy. So how do you take what had been a water-rich, fresh-water flat and accept the salt? How do you change to a different type of agriculture?”

For many delta farmers, the answer has been to switch from rice to shrimp. “It’s a good example of adaptation,” Hoeferlin says. “But then you have to look at the methods they’re using, and many farmers are raising shrimp in very intensive ways. So we still need to figure out more polyculture approaches, like rotating shrimp with mussels or clams.

“Climate change is not necessarily going to end the world,” Hoeferlin adds. “But it will force us to adapt and do things differently. And for that, you must understand the reality of what’s happening on the ground.”

‘The need for watershed architecture’

In his influential 1995 essay “Bigness or the Problem of Large,” Rem Koolhaas argued that as new technologies increase the scale of architectural projects, architects will necessarily “surrender” to other disciplines. The roles of engineering, manufacturing, construction and politics, Koolhaas foresaw, will be “as critical as the architect’s.”

For Hoeferlin, then a student at Tulane, Koolhaas’ manifesto arrived like a thunderclap. And as New Orleans prepared to mark Katrina’s 15th anniversary in August 2020, Hoeferlin realized Koolhaas’ essay didn’t go far enough.

“I think we have an obligation to the really big scale, to the global scale, to the continental river basin scale. Disciplines shouldn’t worry so much about their own space because there is a bigger space — a literal geographic space — that we all need to share.” — derek hoeferlin

In his upcoming book, Way Beyond Bigness: The Need for Watershed Architecture (Applied Research + Design, November 2021), Hoeferlin argues that architects, academics, planners, industry professionals and the general public must fundamentally rethink their relationships with water.

“Maybe that sounds like hubris; maybe it’s an impossible problem,” Hoeferlin says. “But it’s important that these conversations begin to happen, and that people begin to find their own places within them. My goal is simply to provide a framework.”

The book’s core is a series of maps, charts, photographs, speculative proposals and other materials relating to the Mississippi, Mekong and Rhine basins. The three basins reflect the last decade of Hoeferlin’s work, but they also reflect three different hydrological scales in three different states of management and development.

“The Mississippi today represents stagnating development,” Hoeferlin explains. Though the river boasts a rich history of infrastructural innovation, it suffers from deferred maintenance and accelerating patterns of severe weather. What’s more, communities along its banks often lack the financial resources and political capital to address contemporary ecological challenges.

In contrast, the Mekong “represents accelerating development,” as China and other nations race to construct concrete mega-dams for hydropower, irrigation and, ostensibly, flood control.

“Unfortunately, these are just 21st-century versions of 20th-century ideas,” Hoeferlin says, with little thought given to impact downstream. “They’ll further reduce sediment flows and generally wreak environmental havoc in the Mekong delta.”

No one solution fits all

Yet Hoeferlin retains a kind of core optimism about even the most daunting design challenges. For a positive example of what he calls “adaptive development,” Hoeferlin points to the Rhine basin, particularly as it reaches the Netherlands and the North Sea.

“The Dutch have centuries of experience when it comes to living with water,” Hoeferlin says. Indeed, more than half the nation’s housing is located in flood-prone areas. But in the age of climate change, the Dutch have realized that building ever-higher dikes is no longer sufficient.

And so, in 2005, the Dutch government launched Room for the River, a massive, $2.85 billion effort to upgrade water infra-structure around the country. For example, in the 2,000-year-old city of Nijmegen, Dutch architects and engineers added a bypass channel to the Waal River, the Rhine’s main distributary branch. This both reduced the risk of flooding in Nijmegen’s historic center and created a new river park on the Waal’s northern bank.

“It’s not that you can’t develop in a floodplain,” Hoeferlin says. “In a way, that’s almost inevitable.” But, he quickly emphasizes, such development must be undertaken responsibly, with an emphasis on environmental ethics and stewardship.

“It’s not about just letting everything go back to nature; it’s about finding ways to lace these different contexts, interest groups and ecologies together.” — Derek hoeferlin

Still, Hoeferlin warns that the Rhine basin is one-quarter the size of the Mekong basin and 1/17 that of the Mississippi. “The scales are vastly different,” he says. “Addressing issues along the Mississippi and the Mekong won’t be easy, and the solutions may not be the same, but they are achievable through innovative design.”

Back on the Meramec, new levees and big-box construction are further constraining the river of Hoeferlin’s youth. Storms the Meramec could once have absorbed now push it to flood stage and beyond. Nevertheless, Hoeferlin finds a hopeful counter-trend in the adjacent growth of nearby conservation areas such as Castlewood Park, Lone Elk Park and Washington University’s Tyson Research Center — which, though not located in the Meramec floodplain, are part of its larger watershed.

“These places are all within striking distance of the city of St. Louis,” he points out. “I think they offer important clues for the future of coordinated institutional stewardship.

“Optimism is not idealism,” Hoeferlin continues. “It’s actually rather pragmatic. I truly believe that studying deltas, their urbanisms and their much larger river basin contexts will help us to define the hydro-regions of the 21st and 22nd centuries.

“But we must get the fundamentals right,” Hoeferlin concludes. “And that starts with a basic, foundational understanding of how water shapes our environment.”

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Poetry, Fiction, Essay, Art: Grown Out of Our Experience

Sweet Water: Poems for the Watersheds

A watershed is actually an area of land—all the land containing rivers, lakes, and streams that drain into a larger body of water, such as the ocean. The Mississippi watershed covers forty percent of continental United States. In Canada, thirty percent of freshwater drains into the Hudson Bay watershed, which spans five provinces. So watersheds are everything, really. Everything we and all other living beings depend on.

Despite this dependence, we don’t often speak of watersheds. Unless you’re a scientist, these days you’re more likely to hear the phrase watershed moment , which derives from the British definition of a watershed: the crest of a ridge dividing two drainage areas. A watershed moment also divides, not land but time. It describes a pivotal moment after which things will never be the same, from which there is no return.

Sweet Water: Poems for the Watersheds ( Caitlin Press, 2020 ) explores both of these complex ideas—the geographic watershed and the urgency of this moment—through the unique concision and grace of poetry.

Sweet Water is edited by Yvonne Blomer, former poet laureate of Victoria, writer, and teacher (and Understory contributor ). Yvonne, like Sweet Water ’s publisher, is located in British Columbia and many of the hundred-plus poets in this collection are also west-coasters. Otherwise, however, the contributors are diverse and their approaches to the topic expansive.

Several writers remind us that we are water, born out of water, evolved out of water. In “Water to Water,” Kate Braid writes:

Under the guardian cap of the water’s surface this swimmer finds another memory, long-forgotten motion flowing

Though we are of and from water, we often forget. We need to be reminded. In “grandmother river,” Solveig Adair tells of bringing her grandmother to the river’s edge to reconnect with both their own life history and that of our species:

before she died she knelt in the river    and when I blinked there was no distinction between her and the water             body

Necessarily, many contributors to Sweet Water lay bare the destruction of our watersheds, thereby linking the geographic and the idiomatic. In “The Last Lake Sturgeon,” Christine Schrum wills readers to face our shortsightedness:

They outlived the dinosaurs but we’ve brought them to the brink of extinction. In Lake Superior the silver bellies of sturgeon swell with minuscule plastic beads because we wanted blackberry sugar body wash acne exfoliator, 3D white teeth….

There is hope, of course, the possibility that a watershed moment will save our watersheds, because for the many who are shortsighted there are many willing to look and to live by what they see. In “-40°C” Eleonore Schönmaier writes about her father—beautifully, through the point of view of her mother:

She turns up the heat: the house will be warm for the first

time in fifty year. Father. Are there not many versions

of warmth and wealth?….

Although many of the poems in Sweet Water are from a settler perspective, Indigenous writers offer essential context and experience. Katherena Vermette’s “Where” encapsulates devastating violence toward land and people as well as the hope to be found both in tradition and in moving forward:

there is still tobacco and there is still fire

here with the river is where I will remember

Philip Kevin Paul, a member of the WSÁNEĆ Nation, opens the book with a story about bridging Indigenous Knowledge with “current scientific ‘discovery.’” Written in poetic prose, it’s a fitting opening to a book that bridges many ways of understanding and expressing our connection to watersheds. To this end, the book includes a section of “Notes and Ecologies of Poems,” which provides insight into the personal and ecological significance of poems. Thoughtfully, these notes are placed the end of the book (rather than with each poem) such that the poems may stand alone or be read with additional context.

Sweet Water is a beautiful contribution to a growing body of literature on the ecological crisis, offering not only exquisite observation but deeply felt experience and clear reason for action.

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A Watershed Moment: The Clean Water Act and Birth Weight

The Clean Water Act (CWA) significantly improved surface water quality, but at a cost exceeding the estimated benefits. We quantify the effect of the CWA on a direct measure of health. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we compare birth weight upstream and downstream from wastewater treatment facilities before and after CWA grant receipt. Pollution only decreased downstream from facilities required to upgrade their treatment technology, and we leverage this additional variation with a triple difference. CWA grants increased average birth weight by 8 grams.

Previously circulated as “A Watershed Moment: The Clean Water Act and Infant Health.” For their helpful comments, we thank Anna Aizer, Brian Beach, Lindsey Bullinger, Elaine Hill, Will Wheeler, Barton Willage, and participants at the NBER Health Economics meeting and seminar participants at Ball State, University of Rochester, Singapore Management University, Tilburg University, and the Vanderbilt Empirical Applied Microeconomics seminar. The authors have no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this paper. Replication material available at: Flynn, Patrick and Marcus, Michelle. Data and Code for: A Watershed Moment: The Clean Water Act and Birth Weight. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2023-01-13. doi.org/10.3886/E183922V1. All remaining errors are our own.

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Why are Watersheds Important: Understanding the Role and Importance of Watersheds

The Mississippi River watershed stretches from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. Thirty-one U.S. states and two Canadian provinces fall within the Mississippi River watershed. Why are Watersheds Important?

Watersheds are vital as they supply drinking water, support ecosystems, and regulate climate. They capture, filter, and distribute water, impacting both human livelihoods and biodiversity. Protecting watersheds ensures sustainable water resources and environmental health.

Every body of water has a watershed. Watersheds drain rainfall and snowmelt into streams and rivers. These smaller bodies of water flow into larger ones, including lakes, bays, and oceans. Gravity helps to guide the path that water takes across the landscape.

Table of Contents

Introduction:

Water defines our world, as it is central to the survival of all ecosystems. Seemingly insignificant from a distance, watersheds ensure the continuous and systematic movement, distribution, and cleansing of our planet’s most vital resource—water. But, what makes these geographical areas so critical to environmental health and sustainability? This article aims to look into the role and importance of watersheds, and microscopic engines powering the cycle of life, and explore why they are imperative to our survival.

Why are Watersheds Important

“Why are watersheds important?” This is a question of significant importance, which demands a good understanding of the role watersheds play in our environment. A watershed is an indispensable part of our ecosystem, contributing significantly to our health, and the well-being of our planet. It’s vital to comprehend that watersheds are much more than just a geographical term; they are essential, active participants in maintaining the earth’s sustainability.

Water is a core part of our daily lives, and without it, survival would be an arduous task. This is where the importance of a watershed steps into the foreground. Encompassing an entire area that drains into a particular river system, a watershed plays an integral part in supplying clean drinking water, making the health of a watershed directly correlate to our health.

The relevance of watersheds is in the way these channels regulate the water cycle, control flooding, and filter pollutants, ensuring the water is safe for consumption. Consider this – all the water you utilize daily, whether it’s for drinking, cooking, or cleaning, is heavily reliant on your local watershed’s health. Thus, watersheds are exceptionally important in maintaining a steady drinking water supply around the globe, keeping the communities healthy factors. Among a list of other things:

• Water Supply: Watersheds provide a source of freshwater for human consumption, agriculture, and industries.
• Ecosystem Support: They host diverse ecosystems, sustaining a variety of plants and animals.
• Flood Control: Watersheds help regulate water flow, reducing the risk of floods and erosion.
• Biodiversity: Rich biodiversity relies on healthy watersheds for habitats and food sources.
• Climate Regulation: They play a role in climate by influencing local weather patterns and temperature.
• Recreation: Watersheds offer recreational opportunities like fishing, hiking, and boating.
• Cultural Importance: Many communities have cultural ties to watersheds, shaping traditions and identities.
• Economic Impact: Industries such as agriculture and tourism depend on reliable water sources from watersheds.
• Water Quality: Watersheds filter pollutants, ensuring cleaner water downstream.
• Sustainability: Protecting watersheds is crucial for long-term environmental and human well-being.

Understanding Why Watersheds Are Important

Watersheds play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle by collecting and channeling rainfall and surface water to rivers, lakes, and oceans. They serve as natural boundaries that define the flow of water and contribute to the overall health of ecosystems. Additionally, watersheds are vital for supplying freshwater resources to communities and supporting diverse habitats for plants and wildlife.

Imagine trying to uphold your health with tainted water or no water at all! This highlights how essential watersheds are to us. It’s not just about drinking water; a healthy watershed preserves animal habitats, boosts air quality, encourages diverse ecosystems, and supports recreational activities, significantly impacting our lives and ecological health globally.

Therefore, rescuing and sustaining our watersheds should be at the top of our agenda. A minor negligence can lead to a major crisis jeopardizing our health, severely impacting the environment, and disturbing the supply of clean drinking water. Understanding the importance of watersheds is critical to maintaining our health and the well-being of our planet. As the saying goes, ‘Water is Life,’ and watersheds are the life-giving arteries through which life’s most important elixir flows. For these reasons, watersheds are more than important; they are absolutely vital!

Examples of Watersheds

The United States has numerous watersheds, each contributing to the country’s water resources and ecosystem health. Here are some examples of American watersheds:

Mississippi River Watershed : One of the largest watersheds in the world, the Mississippi River watershed drains a vast portion of central North America, including parts of the Midwest and the Gulf of Mexico. Columbia River Basin: Located in the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River Basin spans the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and parts of Canada. It’s known for its significant hydropower production and diverse ecosystems. Colorado River Basin : Covering parts of the southwestern United States, including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona, the Colorado River Basin is crucial for water supply, agriculture, and hydroelectric power. Great Lakes Basin: Comprising Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, the Great Lakes Basin is the largest freshwater system in the world by surface area. It affects the surrounding states and parts of Canada. Chesapeake Bay Watershed : Draining into the Chesapeake Bay, this watershed covers parts of six states (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York) and the District of Columbia. Efforts to improve water quality are ongoing due to its ecological significance. Hudson River Watershed : Located in the northeastern United States, the Hudson River watershed covers parts of New York and extends into Vermont. The Hudson River is a vital waterway for the region. Rio Grande Basin : Stretching from Colorado through New Mexico and Texas and along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Rio Grande Basin is essential for water supply in the arid southwestern United States. Great Basin: Encompassing parts of Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming, the Great Basin is a closed watershed without any outlet to the ocean, featuring numerous lakes and arid landscapes.

These examples highlight the diversity and importance of watersheds in the United States, influencing regional ecosystems, water availability, and human activities.

If you’ve ever found yourself questioning why watersheds are important, you’re not alone. The importance of watershed health runs deeper than many realize, and the role it plays in watershed protection is crucial. A healthy watershed is not just beneficial, but ultimately necessary for our survival.

Watersheds are essential because they serve as the lifeblood of ecosystems, providing a network of interconnected water sources. These areas contribute significantly to the replenishment of groundwater and the formation of rivers and lakes.

Additionally, watersheds play a critical role in supporting biodiversity by offering diverse habitats for various plant and animal species. They act as natural filters, purifying water by trapping sediments and pollutants before reaching downstream areas, thus safeguarding water quality. Moreover, watersheds contribute to flood control and help regulate local climates, making them indispensable for environmental balance and human well-being.

At its core, a watershed is an area of land that channels rainwater or snowmelt into rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean. This makes the watershed a perfect natural filtration system, contributing massively to our drinking water’s health and water quality.

Not all rain or snow that falls on a watershed flows out in this way. Some seep into the ground. It goes into underground reservoirs called aquifers. Other precipitation ends up on hard surfaces such as roads and parking lots, from which it may enter storm drains that feed into streams.

Hence, the preservation of a healthy watershed directly links to ensuring that our water quality remains high. Watersheds help to filter pollutants out of the water before they reach our taps, providing us with clean, drinkable water important for public health.

Think of it this way: when we protect our watersheds, we are essentially protecting our water. For instance, consider how the water quality in a healthy watershed would compare to one that’s not as healthy. In the former, you’d find a more balanced ecosystem, which in turn leads to better water quality. Contrarily, a degraded watershed might contain a higher level of pollutants affecting the water quality negatively.

But the role of watersheds goes beyond just water quality. A watershed serves as a habitat for a variety of fauna and flora, contributing to biodiversity. Hence, healthy watersheds also play a crucial role in preserving our planet’s ecosystems. By ensuring watershed health, we not only improve our water quality and secure our drinking water source but also contribute to the overall health of our planet.

The protection of watersheds, therefore, is a necessary part of environmental conservation. Promoting and maintaining healthy watersheds play a vital role in public health and the planet’s well-being. Indeed, understanding the role/importance of watersheds and promoting the protection of these unique habitats should become embedded in our daily awareness. The first step is to understand why watersheds are important and play our part in the betterment of our planet, our water, and indeed, our future.

The Role of Healthy Watersheds and Their Impact

When we talk about a healthy watershed, we’re essentially discussing an environmental area that plays a pivotal role in shaping the planet’s health. You see, a healthy watershed isn’t just an isolated chunk of land; it’s a living, breathing ecosystem that directly impacts both the environment and the inhabitants of the land it dominates.

The relationship between a healthy, thriving watershed and the land it encompasses is surprisingly straightforward. A flourishing watershed leads to a healthy, green land, teeming with life.

Specifically, the watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.

Ultimately, a healthy watershed provides clean drinking water and habitat for a host of creatures. It’s an environmental hero, quietly ensuring the survival of countless species. At the same time, healthy watersheds also protect against natural disasters such as flooding and drought, which helps protect the land and the ecosystems that live off it.

And the benefits of healthy watersheds extend beyond the environment. They also encompass increased revenues and job opportunities. Healthy watersheds promise a steady supply of clean drinking water which is essential to life as we know it.

They nurture fish populations that support commercial and recreational fishing industries, generate hydroelectric power, and provide places for recreational activities such as boating, fishing, and bird watching. These activities, in turn, boost local economies, create jobs, and increase local revenues.

• Water Quality: Healthy watersheds act as natural filters, improving water quality by trapping sediments and pollutants before they reach downstream areas.
• Biodiversity Support: They provide diverse habitats for a wide range of plant and animal species, contributing to overall ecosystem health and biodiversity.
• Flood Control: Well-maintained watersheds regulate water flow, reducing the risk of floods and erosion in downstream areas .
• Recharge of Groundwater: They play a crucial role in replenishing groundwater by capturing and storing water, and sustaining drinking water supplies.
• Climate Regulation: Healthy watersheds help regulate local climates, influencing temperature and weather patterns in the surrounding areas.
• Sustainable Resource Management: By ensuring a consistent and clean water supply, healthy watersheds support sustainable agriculture, industries, and human activities.
• Recreational Opportunities: Well-preserved watersheds offer recreational benefits such as fishing, hiking, and wildlife observation, contributing to the well-being of local communities.
• Cultural Significance: Many communities have cultural ties to their local watersheds, shaping traditions and preserving cultural identities.
• Economic Impact: Industries like agriculture and tourism depend on the reliable water supply and environmental services provided by healthy watersheds.
• Long-Term Environmental Health: Investing in the health of watersheds ensures the long-term well-being of ecosystems, communities, and the planet.

In brief, the health of our watersheds is interwoven intricately with the well-being of our planet. From safeguarding the environment to fostering economic growth, they’re seemingly silent champions, ceaselessly working away to ensure we have a home to thrive in. As such, recognizing and preserving the vital role of healthy watersheds should be a fundamental priority. And that is why healthy watersheds are not just important – they’re absolutely critical.

Watersheds: The CRD’s Approach to Protect and Manage Their Health

The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, specifically on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. It encompasses the Greater Victoria area, which is the capital city of British Columbia.

The CRD is a local government body responsible for regional issues, such as regional planning, water supply, parks and recreation, and solid waste management. It is composed of 13 municipalities and three electoral areas. The CRD plays a crucial role in coordinating services and addressing shared concerns among the municipalities within its jurisdiction.

The Capital Region District, or CRD, has taken several notable steps to protect watersheds and ensure their health. The CRD understands the vital role watersheds play in maintaining a balanced watershed ecosystem, carrying a diversity of plant and animal life, and supporting human communities. With the goal of preserving the safety and purity of water, the CRD has adopted comprehensive watershed management strategies to safeguard these crucial natural resources.

Watersheds, as we’ve discussed previously, play a pivotal role in water transport. They carry rainwater and meltwater to streams and rivers and eventually reach the oceans. This water, in turn, provides essential services to both the environment and humans. Notably, in its drive to protect watersheds, the CRD recognizes that these water bodies are nothing short of life-supporting systems that we all depend upon

Another key factor that the CRD has taken into account is the impact of human activities on watershed health. From construction to agriculture, human activities can cause pollution and trigger degradation of watersheds. Hence, the CRD’s watershed management plan focuses on minimizing the negative effects of these activities.

Watershed health also depends heavily on the condition of the streams that form part of the watershed ecosystem. Therefore, maintaining the health of these streams is a high priority for the CRD. The importance of healthy streams can’t be overstated – they harbor diverse aquatic life, provide recreational opportunities, and importantly, contribute to the safety and availability of drinking water.

Under the CRD’s approach, regular monitoring of watershed health is carried out. This helps to effectively manage and protect watersheds and ensure that they continue to play their essential roles in providing water services. It’s a holistic approach that not only considers the water within the watersheds but extends to the rivers, streams, and the broader environment.

In sum, the CRD is committed to ensuring watershed health by shaping a future where both people and nature thrive . By protecting and managing watersheds, we ensure the safety and health of our community and the survival of diverse species within the ecosystem. It’s an ongoing effort, but with the right approach, the balance within our watersheds can be preserved to benefit all.

Why Watershed Management is Critical for a Healthy Environment

Watershed management is essential for a healthy environment as it safeguards water quality, preventing pollution and ensuring a clean supply for both ecosystems and human consumption. It plays a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation by preserving diverse habitats within the watershed and sustaining a balance of plant and animal species.

Effective management strategies contribute to flood prevention, protecting communities, and minimizing soil erosion. The sustainable use of water resources promoted by watershed management supports agriculture, industries, and overall human activities without compromising environmental integrity.

In essence, it is a holistic approach that not only ensures the well-being of local ecosystems but also has far-reaching implications for global environmental health and sustainability. Watershed management may include goals and processes such as reducing the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that wash off farm fields and into nearby waterbodies. Watershed management is closely linked to conservation

Watershed managemen t is much more than a job allotted to the county board or office. It’s an environmental policy that, when executed right, plays an integral role in ensuring our environmental health. Often, we tend to overlook the importance of watershed management.

However, it’s critical to preserve the integrity of our parks, fortify stormwater management systems, and conserve precious resources. It’s time we address the significance of this role, particularly in enhancing the health of our watersheds.

Under the purview of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , the regional offices monitor the health of watersheds with marked diligence. That’s because healthy watersheds function as vital lifelines to a number of ecosystems. Watershed management essentially involves the comprehensive monitoring of these watersheds to evaluate and maintain their health . It’s a function that’s constantly under the EPA’s microscope, seen in frequent news features, undoubtedly highlighting its significance.

However, it’s important to address that watershed management isn’t just a responsibility of the EPA . We, as citizens, also have a role in the protection and sustenance of our watersheds. It begins with understanding the necessity of healthy watershed systems, spreading the word, and taking constructive steps toward their preservation. We, as a society, are the custodians of our environment.

Now, the conservation of resources is key to effective watershed management. Our watersheds are home to an abundance of natural resources. Their health directly impacts the quality and quantity of these resources, which include clean water, important minerals, and diverse wildlife .

It emphasizes the need for sound environmental policy implementation to secure these resources for future generations. The news continues to report instances of environmental degradation; we must combat this with effective watershed management.

In conclusion, management of the watershed is not an environmental luxury —it is an environmental necessity. As the guardian of our parks, the buffer against reckless stormwater effects, and the protector of resources, watershed management serves as a beacon of environmental health. It is a call to action for all — regional boards, EPA offices, and every citizen —to cherish this blessing called the watershed which, at its healthiest, guarantees a flourishing, sustainable environment for all.

In conclusion, watersheds play an essential role in our environment and lives. They are vital to providing clean water, supporting wildlife, aiding in climate regulation, and offering recreational activities. Their importance extends beyond the boundaries of scientific understanding, impacting economic, social, and aesthetic aspects of our lives. Managing and protecting our watersheds should, therefore, be a top priority. Our future depends on recognizing the value and importance of watersheds, ensuring their well-being for the ecosystem and generations to come.

JimGalloway Author/Editor

References:

Watershed Watch- Why are Watersheds important?

EPA- Benefits of Healthy Watersheds

National Geographic- Watersheds

Q: Why are watersheds critical parts of our ecosystems? A: Watersheds play an integral role in our ecosystems as they aid in the systematic movement, distribution, and cleansing of water on our planet. They provide clean drinking water, help control flooding, filter pollutants, and also function as habitats for various species. Q: What does a watershed do exactly? A: A watershed is an area of land that directs rainwater and snowmelt into rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean. It serves as a natural filtration system, ensuring the health of our drinking water. Additionally, watersheds support biodiversity by providing habitats for diverse fauna and flora. Q: What are some benefits of a healthy watershed? A: Healthy watersheds provide clean drinking water, protect against natural disasters like flooding and droughts, and can even generate economic growth through supporting commercial and recreational industries like fishing and boating. They also ensure the survival of countless species. Q: Why is watershed management necessary? A: Watershed management is crucial for preserving the integrity of our natural resources. It involves comprehensive monitoring to evaluate and maintain the health of watersheds. Effective watershed management also ensures the conservation of resources within watersheds, including clean water, important minerals, and diverse wildlife.

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India’s G-20 presidency: Seven reasons why this is a watershed moment

From its handling of the pandemic, to scaling up digital payments to the prime minister's leadership, india has become a role model, particularly for the developing world.

India has formally assumed the presidency of G-20 on December 1 and the Heads of Government Summit has been planned for the second half of 2023. The G20 summit would be qualitatively different from any of the previous multilateral summits that India has hosted. None of the previous summits had the world’s largest economies assembled in one place nor did they have the entire P-5 (permanent members of the UN Security Council) represented. In that sense, the G-20 summit would be the first of its kind in Indian history.

But this alone is not what makes the Indian presidency of G-20 a turning point at this juncture in geopolitics. There are seven interplaying, unique factors that make India’s presidency a watershed moment.

First, among large democracies, India has by far been the best performer in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes the entire gamut of responses – from the initial emergency measures like the lockdown’s timing and public communication to the entire chain of vaccination logistics. The contrast with the still unfolding draconian measures in China, the only country of comparable size, makes the Indian success more commendable. For the world, the Indian public goods delivery mechanism, at a billion-plus scale, has set a new template. If India can do it (at a billion plus scale), why can’t we (at a few million scale) would be the new refrain in much of the world.

Second, the management of the economy by India during the pandemic has been extraordinarily prudent with prescient decision-making. Many glittering “stars” of the economic world panned the Modi government for not following their advice to recklessly print money and spend and later repent. Those who followed that advice – Europe and the US – are witnessing five-decadal high inflation and stalling economies. India, on the other hand, has tamed inflation to moderate levels, emerged as the fastest-growing major economy in the world and is now termed as the “only economic bright spot” in the world. India’s real-time decision making in a crisis, and that it did not get coerced by “expert advice”, has put a new sheen on India’s economic team.

Third, India’s independent foreign policy, so visibly demonstrated in the ongoing NATO -Russia ( Ukraine ) war, has made the world sit up and take notice. The assertion of its national interest is also markedly different from the “glory” days of Non-Aligned Movement. Then it was a policy essentially of disengaging from the major world players, laced with empty posturing and mostly at the peril of national interest. Now, the India First policy is about engaging with every player on the world stage with the sole intent of promoting supreme national interest. One day, it could mean purchasing ballistic missiles defence shield from Russia and the next day birthing a grouping like Quad along with the US. Never before has Indian foreign policy been this deft.

Fourth, this is the only time post-Independence that India has its own success models to offer the world. From scaling up of a seamless digital payment model built on the public digital infrastructure (UPI) to the unique digital identity, and from the successful financial inclusion model of the bottom quintile to the seamless transition to green energy, India now has many models to showcase, particularly for the developing world.

Fifth, despite the current short-term preoccupation of the West with the war in Ukraine, the emerging medium to long-term global pivot is undeniably towards Asia. In the Asian theatre, meaningful geopolitics is impossible without India having a decisive say. Emerging groups such as the Quad, U2I2 and the IPEF are a testimony to this changed reality. India’s salience has never been this pivotal, post-Independence.

Sixth, in the last 200 years, India is the only country to have emerged with a geopolitical heft that is part of the international consensus – democracy, vibrant civil society, free press and judiciary – and yet, is different from the western system. All other countries that emerged on the global stage during this period were either part of the Western consensus or not part of the international consensus or too small to matter on the global stage. This places India in a unique position that has not been available to any other country in recent centuries.

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Seventh, the demonstrably successful leadership that Prime Minister Narendra Modi provides not just to India but, on key global strategic issues to the world makes this a unique moment for India, not available post-independence.

The combination of these seven factors, at this juncture in the evolving new global order, is poised to make the G20 in 2023 a historic turning point. Time for an inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented and decisive G20. Time for India’s presidency.

The writer is CEO, Bluekraft Digital Foundation and was earlier director (content) MyGov

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The 1972 Presidential Election: a Watershed Moment in American Politics

This essay about the 1972 presidential election provides an insightful overview of a pivotal moment in American political history. It examines the key players, strategies, and outcomes of the election, highlighting Richard Nixon’s successful reelection bid amidst a backdrop of domestic turmoil and international challenges. Despite Nixon’s landslide victory, the essay also acknowledges the shadow cast by the Watergate scandal, which ultimately led to his resignation from office. The election’s enduring impact on American politics, including its influence on campaign tactics and party dynamics, is underscored, offering valuable insights into the complexities of political power and democracy. Additionally, PapersOwl presents more free essays samples linked to Politics.

How it works

The 1972 presidential election stands as a significant milestone in American political history, marked by intense campaigning, political strategies, and unforeseen outcomes. It was a contest that not only secured Richard Nixon’s reelection but also reshaped the political landscape for years to come. Understanding the dynamics of this election requires a closer examination of the key players, pivotal events, and enduring legacies.

Richard Nixon, the incumbent president representing the Republican Party, sought reelection amidst a backdrop of domestic turmoil and international challenges.

Despite facing criticism for his handling of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal looming on the horizon, Nixon embarked on a strategic campaign aimed at appealing to a broad coalition of voters. His platform emphasized law and order, economic stability, and a pragmatic approach to foreign policy, resonating with many Americans amidst a climate of uncertainty.

In contrast, the Democratic Party found itself fractured and struggling to coalesce around a single candidate. Senator George McGovern emerged as the nominee, advocating for a progressive agenda that called for an immediate end to the Vietnam War and sweeping domestic reforms. However, McGovern’s platform failed to gain traction beyond his liberal base, alienating moderate and conservative voters who were wary of his perceived radicalism.

The 1972 election campaign was also notable for its use of innovative political tactics and media strategies. Both Nixon and McGovern utilized television advertisements, campaign rallies, and grassroots organizing to mobilize their supporters and sway undecided voters. However, it was Nixon’s campaign, led by political strategist and advisor, Lee Atwater, that employed a sophisticated “Southern strategy” to appeal to disaffected Democrats in the South, ultimately securing a landslide victory in the electoral college.

On November 7, 1972, Richard Nixon decisively won reelection, carrying 49 out of 50 states and capturing over 60% of the popular vote. His victory was seen as a validation of his administration’s policies and a repudiation of McGovern’s liberal agenda. However, Nixon’s triumph would soon be overshadowed by the Watergate scandal, which would ultimately lead to his resignation from office in 1974, marking the first and only time in American history that a president has resigned from office.

The 1972 presidential election left a lasting impact on American politics, shaping the trajectory of both major political parties and influencing electoral strategies for decades to come. It underscored the importance of effective campaigning, media manipulation, and voter outreach in modern politics, while also highlighting the enduring power of incumbency and the challenges of mounting a successful opposition campaign. Ultimately, the election of 1972 serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities and consequences of political power in a democratic society.

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‘Watershed Moment’ Analysis through Bridges’ Transitions Model

Introduction

A ‘watershed moment’ regards a point in time or a period in life which marks a significant, frequently historical alteration. This moment can also be characterized as a critical turning point. This is the time when everything changes while marking the beginning of the period when nothing will look the way it looked before. A watershed point actually divides time. In a technical manner, watershed is known to be the whole drainage location feeding a river or other water system. However, in a metaphorical way, this term can regard a decision, some experience, or an occasion which has a critical and intensive effect. It is obvious that each person encounters a watershed moment in his or her life; however, not all of these moments are extreme. Nevertheless, the majority of them appear to be gut wrenching and seem to be catastrophic. A person can feel that the world shifts on its axis. Sometimes watershed moments are acute shifts and alterations which can lead people in a different direction in their lives. The current paper will demonstrate a personal watershed point and analyze it through the lens of the Bridges’ Model of Transitions.

Situation Description

I encountered a watershed point when I first discovered that my parents had to divorce. This situation completely disrupted my personality together with professional and academic interest. My family seemed to be ideal and example-setting one. There were minor issues and quarrels; however, they did not imply anything serious. It was morning when I awoke observing my tearful mother sitting on the edge of my bed. I do not remember any other situation when she demonstrated the analogous behavior, which implicated that something horrible had happened. Nevertheless, I could not believe it when she told me that my father admitted that he loved another woman and asked for a divorce. My father had always been the pillar of my life, formulating my principles, ethic and moral conduct. I was going through an excruciating pain, and no words or pleads would make it disappear during several following months. I used to be highly dependent upon my parents. This situation, especially the morning when I experienced a watershed point, was considerably different from all other meaningful or momentum milestones of my life as the majority of the latter were positive and encouraging. I blamed myself for inability to re-establish and reunite my family, and my overall behavior changed. I changed from an active, energetic, and spirited person to a recluse and unsociable individual. I learned to be two-faced, being tired of constant compassion demonstrated by teachers, friends, acquaintances, and group mates. Therefore, I attempted to appear as a happy, frequently joking and laughing person for the public, hiding genuine feelings deep in the soul.

Situation Analysis

The situation demonstrates that I was unable to accept the change that negatively influenced all other spheres of my life. People frequently feel uncomfortable with changes for all kinds of comprehensible reasons. Therefore, this non-acceptance can provoke the situation when they attempt to resist the change and even oppose it. This is a major reason why it is highly crucial to understand how people feel during the change process, and how they can guide themselves through it (or other people can direct them) in order to accept the change and even support it. The facts demonstrate that the Bridges’ Transition Model can help in this process. The principal potency and advantage of the model concerns the fact that it concentrates on the transition and not the change itself. The discrepancy between the two is slim but crucial. Change is something that happens to people, even if they do not agree with it. On the other hand, transition appears as internal since it happens in people’s minds when they actually accept the change. Moreover, changes typically appear rapidly, while transition occurs more slowly. Therefore, the model distinguishes three stages of transition, including “ending, losing, and letting go,” “the neutral zone,” and “the new beginning”. Bridges demonstrates five aspects of the first stage experience, incorporating “denial, shock, anger, frustration, and acceptance”.

Therefore, when I first heard about the possibility of my parents’ divorce, I experienced the stage of denial. Even though I perfectly understood that parents’ relationships were over, I could not actually believe it. I remember that I used to entertain fantasies of things by some means finding resolution while seeing concealed glimmers of hope interred in obvious signs of the end. I constantly asked my mother to talk with my father and try to reconcile. I took part in all possible performances, musicales, and theatrical shows, knowing that my parents might meet there as they never missed my performances. Nevertheless, they did not talk to each other. That was the major reason why I experienced the second stage, shock. I understood that all the attempts failed. I started feeling tired all the time, having no desire to do anything, feeling and behaving disconnected from all other people even while actually being with them. My shock experience resulted in hopelessness, which appeared as the most penetrating and depleting. I believed that nothing would ever change and I would never feel different in the future. After a couple of days, I awoke with a strong and overpowering feeling of anger. I felt angry at all people surrounding me, including my mother, father, friends having happy families, father’s friends, who did not persuade him to stay, etc. This was the period when I seriously and deeply quarreled with my father, using rude words (for the first time in front of him) and cursing his new ‘girlfriend,’ I did not want him to think that I could ever excuse and accept his action, demonstrating all of my pain and grief through anger. Nevertheless, it did not help, and I experienced frustration. I felt confused, lost, and insecure. My mother gave me as much of extra support as possible, sharing all her feelings too. This was probably the most fundamental factor that helped me during this stage. Her support actually opened my eyes and allowed me to put myself in her position. This led me to the acceptance of the situation. This is the final stage of the “ending, losing, and letting go” stage. I was finally able to make peace with the loss. This understanding happened gradually. Nevertheless, this phase did not presuppose that I felt harmonious as all of my feelings were mixed with the lingering sadness, grief, and loss combined with some relief or anticipation regarding the possible new future.

The second stage of the transition process concerns “the neutral zone,” which can be regarded as the crux of the whole situation. This stage is known to be the in-between place, in which people lose their sense of connectivity, goals, and intensions. The facts demonstrate that people’s identification of who they are is closely connected to the old way of life. This stage of transition does not provide anything new to anchor a person or provide him or her with any additional context or meaning. Bridges demonstrates that numerous people literally escape into the “wilderness” during this stage. The stage is characterized by the desire to be alone, think, and regroup.

I remember that regardless of the fact that I had to get up early in the morning, I used to awake in the middle of the night, practically every night, in order to think and analyze my situation and the future. I started practicing meditation as it helped me stop the inner dialogue and constant complaints. I started to go for long runs and walks on my own, just to be alone and stop listening to everybody lamenting that I did not behave in a usual manner and did not seem to be myself. The stage was not comfortable for me at the beginning as I was caught between demands and conflicting expectations. Nevertheless, later I understood that this stage stimulated me to search for something new, for fresh and innovative ways of dealing with the situation and my life. I started dedicating more time to studies, professional development, and sports, which provided me with a possibility to meet new people and get distracted from my parents’ divorce.

Finally, after the ‘endings’ stage and the overcoming of the neutral zone, a re-birth occurs, meaning the stage of ‘new beginning’. Bridges assumes that this stage appears as a result of an exterior sign or internal indication; however, when it occurs, this signal or indication will definitely resonate with the person. This stage demonstrates how neutral zone formlessness changes into a systematic shaping of a new form. It allows a person to start building a new reality with a fresh and innovative sense of self and probably new concepts, reliance, and values. Bridges also assumes that the attempt of transiting to a ‘new beginning’ without undergoing the hard experience of ‘endings’ and neutrality is a pointless action, which will eventually guide to a higher level of frustration. The previous stage of transition allowed me to meticulously analyze the situation and completely accept it. This helped me dedicate my energy to professional development and studies. I understood that parental divorce should not change my attitude to parents and affect my individual and professional life. I decided to start building the capabilities that I would require in my future professional life in order to study and work successfully and achieve the desired goals and objectives. In an attempt to follow my academic and professional goals, I created a specific step-by-step plan. My serious and solid dedication to and engagement in studies assisted me in observing early wins resulting from my committed efforts. I started to feel a high level of energy, receptiveness to learning, and regenerated commitment to my individual and group roles and functions. Therefore, the stage vividly demonstrates that I was able to shift from family problems to professional and academic development, which turned into my new future.

Reflective Analysis

The analysis of my personal situation seriously assisted in understanding how individual response to change can aid in facilitating the change in the workplace. The first stage assists in learning how to respect and accept the past. I have understood that one of the most spread issues with shifting to something new regards the fact that people are connected with the past, associating themselves, their capacities, and skills with it, criticizing and non-adopting to innovation. In fact, criticism of something old or a person’s past can appear as attacking them. Therefore, it is much more important to concentrate on how the old assisted in laying the foundation for the next step into the new. It is important to concentrate on capabilities and values obtained from the old, which will be changed into the new. This actually highlights the continuity and not the lack of control over the new future. Secondly, my personal experience helped me understand that the ‘neutral zone’ was an obvious period of confusion as the old methods did not work, while new ones have not been applied yet. A person appears to be caught between the demands and conflicting expectations. The main thing in regard to this stage and workplace concerns patience. The person’s condition during the stage can be facilitated by providing people with the sense of direction and guidance. It is also crucial to encourage employee involvement, providing the possibility to give feedbacks and voicing to concerns and expectations. All of these attempts can result in individual desire to search for innovative methods of solving problems, which is significant for transiting through the phase. Finally, it is vital to present a picture of what the new future will look and feel like during the last stage of transition. The person has already accepted the new situation, which helps him or her feel confident and attempt to reinforce the feeling. This can be performed by outlining a specific step-by-step plan, which will demonstrate the purpose behind the desired outcomes. It is also necessary to equip individual and team trainings in new conducts, skills, and values. Moreover, the leader of the group can even celebrate the change with the help of public displays, which acknowledge both the group and individuals.

The current paper has analyzed the personal ‘watershed point’ event through the Bridges’ Model of Transitions. It vividly reveals how all of the stages have been experienced and what conclusion has been made at the end of each stage. The paper also demonstrates how individual experience and response to change can be used to facilitate the change in the workplace.

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• India will hold the presidency till 30th November 2023 .
• India’s theme as stated by the Prime Minister is — “One Earth, One Family, One Future” .

More about the news

• The Prime Minister had described India’s agenda at the G-20 as “ inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented”.
• He added, “During our G-20 Presidency, we shall present India’s experiences, learnings and models as possible templates for others, particularly the developing world. 
• The G20 summit would be qualitatively different from any of the previous multilateral summits that India has hosted. 
• In that sense, the G-20 summit would be the first of its kind in Indian history.
• To promote harmony within the human family, we will seek to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilisers and medical products, so that geopolitical tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises.

What can India share with the world during its Presidency?

• The G20 presidency is an opportunity to present the diversity that is India to the outside world. 
• For the world, the Indian public goods delivery mechanism, at a billion-plus scale, has set a new template. 
• The management of the economy by India during the pandemic has been extraordinarily prudent with prescient decision-making.
• The assertion of its national interest is also markedly different from the “glory” days of Non-Aligned Movement.
• G20 can act as a forum to exchange experiences on societal benefits and growth as complementary goals would lead to fresh thinking on employment and environment.
• India has its own initiatives like “LiFE Movement” & “The One Sun One World One Grid” to offer to the world.
• From scaling up of a seamless digital payment model built on the public digital infrastructure (UPI) to the unique digital identity , and from the successful financial inclusion model of the bottom quintile to the seamless transition to green energy , India now has many models to showcase, particularly for the developing world.

Global challenges, opportunities & way ahead

• First and the most pressing is the in-your-face Russia–Ukraine conflict .
• The second challenge is of rising prices , particularly of food .
• Russia is teaching the world that while sanctions against it could impact its economy in the future, in the short term, these sanctions are failing. 
• As rising food and energy prices lead to inflation, the fourth challenge is the manner in which countries are attempting to fix the problem . 
• The fifth challenge is the threat of stagflation .
• The sectors of significant importance would be ranging from energy, agriculture, trade, digital economy, health and environment to employment, tourism, anti-corruption and women empowerment , including in focus areas that impact the most vulnerable and disadvantaged . 

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07 December, 2022

G20 Presidency of India as a Watershed Moment

• International Relations
• International issues
• On December 1, 2022, India will formally assume the G-20 presidency.
• India will hold the presidency until November 30th, 2023.
• According to the Prime Minister, India's theme is "One Earth, One Family, One Future."

More on the news:

• Agenda: The Prime Minister described India's G-20 agenda as "inclusive, ambitious, and action-oriented."
• Sharing India's experience : "During our G-20 presidency, we will present India's experiences, learnings, and models as possible templates for others, particularly the developing world," he added.
• The significance of the 2023 G20 Summit, which will be held in New Delhi:
• The G20 summit would be unlike any other multilateral summit that India has hosted in the past.

Meeting of the World's Largest Economies:

• None of the previous summits brought together the world's largest economies, nor did they include the entire P-5 (permanent members of the UN Security Council ).
• In that regard, the G-20 summit would be the first in Indian history.
• Depoliticization: In order to promote harmony within the human family, we will work to depoliticize the global supply of food, fertiliser , and medical products, so that geopolitical tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises.

About the G20:

• The G20 was formed in 1999 in the aftermath of the late-90s financial crisis that ravaged East Asia and Southeast Asia in particular.
• Its goal was to secure global financial stability through the participation of middle-income countries.
• According to the official G20 Website, " on the advice of the G7 Finance Ministers , the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors began holding meetings to discuss the response to the global financial crisis that occurred."
• Goals: Policy coordination among its members in order to achieve global economic stability and sustainable growth; promotion of financial regulations that reduce risks and prevent future financial crises; and creation of a new international financial system.

Members and visitors:

• Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and European Union are all members.
• Spain has been invited as a permanent guest as well.
• Every year, the Presidency invites guest countries to participate fully in the G20 exercise. Several international and regional organisations also take part, giving the forum a more diverse representation.
• T he G20 countries collectively account for 60% of the world's population, 80% of global GDP, and 75% of global trade.

G20 and Troika Presidency:

• The G20 presidency is rotated among members each year.
• To ensure the continuity of the G20 agenda, the country holding the presidency, along with the previous and next presidency-holders, form the 'Troika.'

What will India bring to the world during its presidency?

• Presenting Diversity : The G20 presidency is an opportunity to showcase India's diversity to the rest of the world.
• Management during pandemic : Among large democracies, India has fared the best in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic .
• The Indian public goods delivery mechanism, on a billion-plus scale, has set a new template for the rest of the world.
• India's economic management during the pandemic has been extraordinarily prudent, with foresight in decision-making.
• Independent foreign policy : India's independent foreign policy, as seen in the ongoing NATO-Russia (Ukraine) conflic t, has made the rest of the world sit up and take notice.
• The assertion of its national interests differs significantly from the "glory" days of the Non-Aligned Movement.
• Employment and the environment : The G20 can serve as a forum for exchanging experiences on societal benefits and growth as complementary goals, leading to new perspectives on employment and the environment.
• India has its own initiatives to offer the world, such as the " LiFE Movement " and " The One Sun One World One Grid ."
• India's own success models to offer the rest of the world
• From scaling up a seamless digital payment model based on public digital infrastructure (UPI) to the unique digital identity, and from the successful bottom quintile financial inclusion model to the seamless transition to green energy, India now has many models to showcase, particularly for the developing world.

Global challenges, opportunities, and the road ahead

There are currently five global challenges that the G20 can attempt to address:

• The first and most pressing issue is the open conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
• The second challenge is that food prices are rising .
• The third issue is one of energy .
• Russia is teaching the world that, while sanctions against it may have an impact on its economy in the future, these sanctions are failing in the short term.
• As rising food and energy prices cause inflation, the fourth challenge is how countries are attempting to address the issue.
• The threat of stagflation is the fifth challenge .

Opportunities :

• Hosting the G20 Presidency would also result in economic opportunities in various sectors such as tourism, hospitality, information technology, and civil aviation, to name a few.
• Energy, agriculture, trade, digital economy, health and environment would be significant sectors, as would employment, tourism, anti-corruption, and women empowerment, as well as focus areas that impact the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Source: The Economic Times

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Jeannie Epper, Stunt Double to the Stars, Is Dead at 83

Her first stunt was riding a horse bareback down a cliff when she was 9. She went on to soar on the hit TV series “Wonder Woman” and in many other places.

By Penelope Green

Jeannie Epper had at least 100 screen roles, maybe even 150 — no one is quite sure. But because she was a stunt double, galloping on horseback, crashing cars and kicking down doors for the stars of films and television shows, hers was not a household name.

In her heyday, however, Ms. Epper was ubiquitous. She hurtled through the air most weeks as Lynda Carter’s stunt double on the hit television series “Wonder Woman” and mimed Ms. Carter’s leggy lope. She tumbled through a scrum of mud and rocks as Kathleen Turner’s double in the 1984 comedy-adventure film “Romancing the Stone,” which also starred Michael Douglas. She threw punches for Linda Evans in one of her many ballyhooed cat fights with Joan Collins on the frothy, long-running 1980s nighttime soap opera “Dynasty.”

And, in what she often said was her favorite stunt — or gag, to use the industry term — Ms. Epper skidded a Corvette into a 180-degree turn as Shirley MacLaine’s character in “Terms of Endearment” (1983), neatly hurling Jack Nicholson’s double into the Gulf of Mexico.

Ms. Epper, whose bruising career spanned 70 years, died on Sunday at her home in Simi Valley, Calif. She was 83.

Her daughter, Eurlyne Epper, confirmed the death. She said her mother had been ill for some time and caught an infection during a recent hospital visit.

Ms. Epper was stunt royalty; her father was John Epper, a Swiss-born master horseman who doubled in westerns for Gary Cooper, Randolph Scott and Ronald Reagan. Like her five siblings, Ms. Epper joined the family business.

She was just 9 when she rode a horse bareback down a cliff in her first stunt. Her first film credit, however, as The Hollywood Reporter discovered , was “Cheyenne Autumn,” a 1964 western directed by John Ford. And she was a regular on the western series “The Big Valley,” which ran on ABC from 1965 to 1969, often doubling for Barbara Stanwyck.

“Wonder Woman,” which debuted in 1976 on ABC, was a watershed moment not just for Ms. Epper but also for all women in her industry. Despite the work of Ms. Epper and others, stunt doubling had long been mostly a man’s game, with men dressing as women to do their stunts, a practice known as wigging. The series was groundbreaking for featuring a female action hero.

“Actresses didn’t want hairy-legged boys as doubles,” Ms. Epper told Variety in 2007 . “They wanted pretty girls. It slowly started changing the order of things.”

The rangy, 5-foot-9 Ms. Epper was used to the rough and tumble of the brotherhood that accepted her because of her father, and also because she had her own moxie. She was savvy about the sexism of the stunt world, and the movie business.

Zoë Bell, a New Zealand-born actor and stuntwoman whom Ms. Epper mentored, described the advice Ms. Epper gave her when she was putting together her résumé for a job doubling for Uma Thurman in “Kill Bill: Volume 1,” Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 martial arts splatterfest. (Ms. Bell, a talented gymnast, had been Lucy Lawless’s double during every season of “Xena: Warrior Princess,” which was shot in New Zealand and ran from 1995 to 2001.)

“She asked me what I weighed,” Ms. Bell recalled by phone. “I said ‘145-ish.’ Jeannie, without missing a beat, said ‘OK, so put 130. You look 130 and the actresses all lie.’ She went on to talk about recognizing a broken system and devising new rules that one feels good about, in order to be able to keep playing the game.”

Ms. Epper and Ms. Bell were the joint subjects of “Double Dare,” a 2004 documentary directed by Amanda Micheli. The film followed Ms. Epper as she hunted for work in her 60s and Ms. Bell, who was in her early 20s, as her career was just taking off.

“Jeannie was up against the inequity of women not getting promoted,” Ms. Micheli said. “The working life span of a stunt performer is brief, like a professional athlete’s. They’re using their bodies, they’re hitting the ground every day.

“The best stunt men go on to become stunt coordinators, or even second-unit directors, which is a powerful role on an action film,” she continued. “Jeannie’s brother Gary got those opportunities, while she just kept hitting a wall. Instead of getting to call the shots, she was hustling for small jobs here and there, and taking hits well past her prime. I saw the pain that caused her, both figuratively and literally.”

In Ms. Epper’s youth, there were the usual mishaps. While jumping a horse off a raft in “Mackenna’s Gold” (1969), she nearly drowned when the horse floundered and flipped in the water. She was almost knocked out by Pam Grier in the 1974 blaxploitation film “Foxy Brown” when Ms. Grier smashed a painting over her head and sliced open her skull. She caught fire when a stunt went south in an episode of the late-1960s television series “Lancer.”

The years of stunts mostly took their toll in torn ligaments and battered joints. Not that she complained.

“Jeannie was bad-ass and a sweetheart,” Ms. Bell said. “A lady and one of the boys. A cowgirl and a finishing school graduate. A Christian and one of my favorite people to crack filthy jokes with.”

Jean Luann Epper was born on Jan. 27, 1941, in Glendale, Calif., and grew up in North Hollywood. Her father served in the cavalry in his native Switzerland and moved to Hollywood in the 1930s. There, he opened a riding academy and trained actors who were appearing in westerns. He also married Frances Robertson there.

Mr. Epper got into the stunt business when he was delivering a horse to a set and ended up doing the stunt himself — the scene involved jumping the animal over a car. He taught his three girls and three boys how to ride, how to jump and, most important, how to roll and how to fall.

As a young teenager, Jeannie was sent to finishing school for a few years in Switzerland — she hated it — and when she returned, she married at just 16, became a mother and went to work.

Her marriages to Wes Fuller, Richard Spaethe and Lee Sanders ended in divorce. In addition to her daughter, who is also a stuntwoman, Ms. Epper is survived by her husband, Tim Kimack; her son, Richard; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Among her many other credits, Ms. Epper appeared in eight films produced or directed by Steven Spielberg, including “1941,” the 1979 slapstick comedy that imagines an alternate reality to what happened in the days after Pearl Harbor. Most of her family was cast in that film, too. In Ms. Micheli’s documentary, Mr. Spielberg called the Eppers “the Flying Wallendas of film” and added that in a bar fight scene in “1941,” “there were Eppers flying all over the place.”

Ms. Epper’s last performance was not a stunt, exactly. In 2019, at 78, she was cast as a hostage in an episode of the ABC series “The Rookie,” a role that involved being bound, gagged and duct-taped to a chair with a shotgun strapped to her shoulder and pointed at her head.

Debbie Evans , a much-lauded stuntwoman who said she considered Ms. Epper her “stunt mom,” drove her to the set. “It was a special day,” Ms. Evans recalled. “She was so high and happy.”

Penelope Green is a Times reporter on the Obituaries desk. More about Penelope Green

A Moment That You Couldn’t Tell: Riding the Gradient of the Lyric Essay

In his poem “Because You Asked About the Line Between Prose and Poetry,” Howard Nemerov writes:

Sparrows were feeding in a freezing drizzle That while you watched turned to pieces of snow Riding a gradient invisible From silver aslant to random, white, and slow. There came a moment that you couldn’t tell. And then they clearly flew instead of fell.

Nemerov’s short poem suggests a gradient where poetry could be described as snow, and prose as rain—a fair comparison, I think. In poetry, an individual word asks for more attention than a single word in prose, the way snow greets skin in discrete bursts of sensation, flake by flake. Snow, like poetry, is structured in a delicate lattice, rather than a cohesive body. Snow, like poetry, carries less momentum than rain or prose, offering, instead, a moment of stalled time and levitation. and not unlike the six stanzas of a villanelle (one of my favorite poetic forms), each of a snowflake’s six points orbit a center of gravity that travels less than its extremities. 

Rain, on the other hand, builds momentum and falls with satisfying weight, akin to the quick pace of prose. Raindrops combine and disappear into a larger body bound by a threshold of surface tension, like the words that form an essay. And although rain may not demand much attention drop by drop, it soaks you through, getting you wet beneath your clothes. 

This rain-to-snow metaphor suggests a gradient across the metric of cold, and the way dropping degrees can alter structure, motion, and reflectivity. Perhaps I should resist this, but I like the idea that a poem is colder than an essay—lonely, stark in its relief, a line dropping off and picking back up like a broken phone connection. A poem lets you sit in your loneliness, lets writer and reader share solitude over an impossible distance. An essay betrays you into thinking, for a while, that someone sits beside you. 

But I like lyric essays, poem-essay hybrids, pieces best categorized as sleet if essays are rain and poems snow. Nemerov hints at a kind of beauty in that liminal form, that moment between, “silver aslant” and “random, white and slow”; in my estimation, however, being in sleet is a miserable experience, encompassing the problems of both rain and snow (freezing and wet, heavy and sharp with crystals), and the delights of neither.

“Here, of course, we come to the point where my illustration […] breaks down.” —C. S. Lewis

Perhaps I’m taking this metaphor business too seriously. Likely, metaphors are best employed as flexible, atmospheric, irreducible, like an optical illusion you can only see when you don’t focus too hard. Treating metaphors to a stringent rule has the danger of taking out their charm, of limiting their boundless, contradictory span. After all, in the Bible, rain is both a reliever of drought and a destroyer by flood; snow, too, is a double entendre, evoking in one moment the purity of the Messiah’s garment, in another, the contamination of leprous skin.

So let me try again. When I said that I liked the idea of a gradient across temperatures as a metaphor for poetry and prose, I knew I was treading on thin ice, so to speak. A gradient or a sliding scale implies that the closer you get to essay, the farther you get from poetry, and vice versa. Not true, of course. Or at least, even if prose and poetry are on opposite ends of a spectrum, essay and poetry are not. On the contrary, essays invite poetic treatment, at times demand it, and vice versa. 

Poems, for example, tend to have essayistic motives, whether by suggesting the importance of a red wheelbarrow and thus finding the eternal in the transient, or by offering idiosyncratic, subversive life creeds. Many lyric essays have the potential for being labeled poetry or prose poems just as easily as being labeled essays. Gregory Pardlo describes the essays he writes as flexible in scope like poetry, affording “The same thrills of transgressing against the form—and I know there are people very close to me who are going to say, ‘That’s not an essay, that’s way too lyrical, and you’ve gone off the rails!’” As one of my creative writing students asked of “Unspoken Hunger” by Terry Tempest Williams, “Is this not a poem?”

I resonate with Lia Purpura’s suggestion that the term “lyric essay” is perhaps best employed as a conversation starter; it can act as a starting point or a gathering place, where writers and readers come for communion and conversation and challenge (Purpura, 338). 

Of course, I come to the lyric essay conversation with my own preferences and biases, so let me suggest my idea of what a lyric essay might involve. 

The lyric essay I want is like any other essay in that it thinks on the page and asserts a person (a living author, or at least an author who lived), and takes an interest (if a slanted and skeptical one) in truth and actuality. But the lyric essay I want also leans into the vast glossary of poetic terms like rhyme, alliteration, hyperbole, and repetition to create form, or what Seneca Review calls “density and shapeliness.” If the essay is the master chess player and poetry is the principal dancer, perhaps lyric essays are the dance of pieces on the board; call it chess or the essay, call it dance or poetry, because it is.  

For me, then, lyric essays―whether heavy like wet snow, or light like tiny drops of crystalizing rain―get cozy with the physicality of fine arts as well as the momentum and coverage of “the free mind at play” (Ozick). Lyric essays rely on the medium (its shape and sound and heft) as much as the message. A big part of the “lyric,” as I see it, comes down to sensory markers like musical language and the relationship between text and white space. Ira Sukrungruang says, “I loved how lyric essays looked on the page. […] A poem, before we even make sense of it, is a visual seduction.” Poems rely on white spice and stanzas and the measurement of a line, drawing the eye to a cliff here or a wall of text there. Poems also rely on sound, on lazy vowels or hard stop consonants, on the breathy hushes and plosive glottals embedded within words. Lyric essays bring the poetic body into the meandering walk of the essay.

I recognize, however, that it’s impossible to have an essay, or any text, without body and shape and structure. We read with our eyes, ears, or fingers; the text is necessarily physical. Just as a raindrop is as physical and structured as a snowflake, essays are as corporeal as poems. We write and speak with our body, dragging a pen, clacking keys with our hands, flexing our vocal chords or carving out space with the motion of our hands. Spoken or written words are abstractions and concepts, but they are also embodied; such is evident when our fingers are too stiff to travel across a keyboard, our vocal chords too inflamed to bear vibration.

I often lose my voice and feel fatigued, and my hands frequently hurt or prickle with irritation. In this state, the body of an essay or a poem can make the difference between whether or not I read or write at all. If an essay is written with lengthy paragraphs and little white space, my eyes struggle to focus and I may not be able to follow what I am reading on a given day. While writing, if I am in a revising mood and I want to read what I have written to my husband, I can get through a poem easily, whereas reading just a few paragraphs of an essay taxes my voice and can steer me out of a creative headspace altogether. 

Beyond issues of comfort, when I am feeling a little unwell, my senses are heightened. My brain may feel less sharp, but sound makes more sense than ever. Consonants become percussive strokes and closed vibrations, vowels become sighs and vibrato. A sentence becomes a meter, a paragraph a verse. When I don’t feel well, words, spoken and written, become more overwhelming, more exacting, and because of that I want fewer of them, or want to string them along in a rolling rhythm. Lyric essays let me give my mind a rest and, at the same time, let me tap into the chaos and movement of my overfiring neurons. 

Just as all essays and poems have some level of “body,” all essays and poems have some level of mind and thought and abstraction. But not all poems—or even all essays—have a committed interest in the narrative factuality that defines creative nonfiction, creating some tension about what counts as “true enough” for the lyric essay.

Roxane Gay suggests that lyric essays, in their presumptive “nonfiction” state, honor their contract with the reader by holding to real-life material even when stretching or hyperfocusing to fantastical heights. She explains, “The way we are being told these truths are masked in some sort of artifice [of] what words repeat themselves, the speed of the language varying, phrases meant to express the intangible in a tangible way.” By this measure, truth in the lyric essay sometimes becomes distorted by the fuzziness of hyperbole or hypotheticals, but ultimately extrapolates its dream-like form from real events or dynamics. 

If lyrical forms can push the boundaries of truth, however, they can also gain access to truths that might slip under the radar in a more straightforward form. For example, if hyperbole or hypotheticals can distort an image or story, other poetic elements like sensory focus and structural restraints can cut through situational distractions in a story, getting right into the heart of the matter.  

Gregory Pardlo says, 

“I’m always writing through sound, and if I’m writing through a received form it’s a kind of way of backing into an emotional danger zone, right? I always tell my students we have denial for a very good reason—to keep us sane, to keep us safe, so that we can move through our day with some measure of sanity. But my job when I sit down to write is to circumvent that wall.”

For Pardlo, structure and constraints eliminate the easiest expressions, taking away our most used coping mechanisms and requiring us to enter a territory without our well-used defenses.

Beyond modes of expression, for some, scruples about what counts and doesn’t count as “true” or “nonfiction” may not matter very much; after all, a poem carries little if any presumption of real world accuracy, and for some the gradient between poem and essay is more one of style than of content. For me, though, all essays—including lyric essays—gain meaning as real manifestations of a writer and actual stories. Like Scott Russell Sanders, “I take seriously the prefix ‘non-’ in nonfiction,” and I count myself in the company of those who “believe they are inscribing themselves in some fundamental way” (Lazar, “Introduction). 

As a simple example of the charms afforded by facts, aphorisms occupy a space between essays and poetry but often rely on a degree of basic truth telling. When Mary Capello writes, “Mood: cloud cover. / Mood: a room with no walls,” she pairs it with simple and accurate but artful observations, such as “You put on your coat in winter.  You pull on your coat in autumn. Each act of self-cloaking determined by the season’s mood.” If Capello had made such an observation without accurately reflecting linguistic patterns, at least for a given population, then the aphorism would lose its power as a social and artful revelation.

Mostly, I write in prose. I type sentences or paragraphs, rough hewn thoughts full of redundancies and repetitions, and not at all devoid of throat clearing (ahem). Some days, though, when my fingers ache, I try to write in short, spare verse instead, simply to avoid the pain. These are days when typing amplifies rather than relieves the soreness and aches I feel throughout my body, when everything hurts and my skin feels raw and itchy and trying to get a few paragraphs of an essay feels beyond my stamina.

These days, I rely on the traffic between poetry and essays in a physical capacity. So maybe I’m trying to pawn off a very practical tactic (i.e. writing fewer words) as a more artistically motivated one (i.e. writing for musicality of sound). Even more generally, though, I have almost always had a preference for shorter works. I have a strong aversion to reading long pieces at anything other than a leisurely pace, and even then, I willingly seek out only gentle, accessible texts. 

My point is, my literary ideal is so shaped by preferences and pain and limitations that I can’t think clearly about these genres. But then, the point is also that all of us are shaped by preferences, pains and predilections that are imposed on us by temperaments and conditions we didn’t choose. None of us live deep philosophical lives independent of our bodies. If anyone in this world is not a “pain” writer (or a nature writer or food writer), it is only because much of their personal experience is withheld (either carefully or subconsciously) from their writerly persona.

Put another way, I write what is physically and temperamentally easy for me to write, and am inclined to read the same. In that sense, lyric essays are, more than anything else, an accommodation—and for that alone, I am forever grateful to them.

Years ago, a departmental form asked me how I wanted to “contribute to the field of creative writing”—a question I like to think would make any writer queasy for its weight and expectation. The best answer I could think of was personal; reading and writing for a couple of hours (or minutes) a day gives me joy, and that joy helps me attend my family with more peace and eagerness and feel a little more sane in the world.  A sidestep of an answer, if you will, but it was all I felt comfortable writing down, and no one called me out on it. 

Mostly, my answer hasn’t changed. As valuable as essays are for influencing political persuasion and cultivating empathy in a divided world, my motivations for reading and writing tend to be much more impulsive and palliative than revolutionary. Often, I feel like Eduardo Galeano , who said, “I write only when I feel the need to write, not because my conscience dictates it. It doesn’t just come from my indignation at injustice; it is a celebration of life, which is so beautifully horrible and horribly beautiful.” I like lyric essays for their celebration of life, their wide range of communicative measures, their transformation of pleasure and pain—and by “lyric essays” I mean essays and poetry and everything in between.

Essays, and poems, are thrilling. After writing a section of this essay, I told my husband that I was so excited I might pee my pants (an admittedly unremarkable proposition for someone who wrote most of while pregnant or postpartum). There is a natural high that comes from moments of flow or hardwon revisions or sharing what I have written with another person. Or, on other days, when I am less prone to delight and more to gloom, reading and writing offers solace. As Mark Strand says, “Pain is filtered in a poem so that it becomes finally, in the end, pleasure.” I’m here for the pain-filtered-to-pleasure of writing, for the respite of lying on the couch with a blanket at my feet, the sound of tapping keys like rain against my window.

Works Cited

Capello, Mary. “Mood Modulations.” Life Breaks In (a mood almanac) . The University of Chicago Press, 2016, 27-45.

Lazar, David. “Introduction.” Essaying the Essay , edited by David Lazar. Welcome Table Press, 2014, 1-12.

Lewis, C.S. “Making and Begetting.” Mere Christianity.  

Purpura, Lia. “What is a Lyric Essay? Some Provisional Responses.” Essaying the Essay , edited by David Lazar. Welcome Table Press, 2014, 336-340.

Sanders, Scott Russel. “Interview with Scott Russel Sanders.” Interview by Patrick Madden. River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative . Vol. 9 Iss. 1, 2007, 87-98.

Alizabeth Worley lives near Utah Lake with her husband, Michael, and their two kids. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Post Road Magazine , Guernica , Tar River Poetry , and elsewhere. You can find her writing and artwork at alizabeth.worley.com .

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