Damming the Gila
When
Where
Book Presentation - Free Event - RSVP encouraged
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 - 6 PM
Tumamoc Hill Boathouse - 1675 W Anklam Rd, Tucson
RSVP HERE
We are thrilled to partner with the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill and the University of Arizona Press to present the Tumamoc Author Series.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Tumamoc Hill’s golden sunsets, this series brings together voices from across disciplines, all sharing their unique visions of the Southwest. What better way to experience the magic of this region than through lively, soul-stirring conversations with acclaimed authors?
We begin the series with David H. DeJong, author of Damming the Gila: The Gila River Indian Community and the San Carlos Irrigation Project, 1900-1942. Join us as DeJong, Director of the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project, unravels the complex and fascinating history of water, land, and community along the Gila River. His insights will flow as freely as the waters he works to preserve.
Come to the hill, bask in the beauty of the desert, and nourish your spirit with stories that shape the Southwest.
This book continues to chronicle the history of water rights and activities on the Gila River Indian Reservation. Centered on the San Carlos Irrigation Project and Coolidge Dam, it details the history and development of the project, including the Gila Decree and the Winters Doctrine. Embedded in the narrative is the underlying tension between tribal growers on the Gila River Indian Reservation and upstream users. Told in seven chapters, the story underscores the idea that the Gila River Indian Community believed the San Carlos Irrigation Project was first and foremost for their benefit and how the project and the Gila Decree fell short of restoring their water and agricultural economy.
Damming the Gila is the third in a trio of important documentary works, beginning with DeJong’s Stealing the Gila and followed by Diverting the Gila. It continues the story of the Gila River Indian Community’s fight to regain access to their water.