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A Trip with Returning Rapids to Recreate “La Rue’s Riffle” Photo 100 Years Later
Last week GCI had the opportunity to join a Cataract Canyon trip led by the Returning Rapids Project with the goal of recreating the “La Rue’s Riffle” photo of Emery Kolb in Rapid #31 above Gypsum Canyon 100 years after it was taken. The name of the rapid comes from E.C. La Rue, famed USGS surveyor who…
Last week GCI had the opportunity to join a Cataract Canyon trip led by the Returning Rapids Project with the goal of recreating the “La Rue’s Riffle” photo of Emery Kolb in Rapid #31 above Gypsum Canyon 100 years after it was taken. The name of the rapid comes from E.C. La Rue, famed USGS surveyor who took the photo in 1921.
The photo of Kolb rowing rapid #31 is significant because it’s one of the newest sections of rapids emerging amidst the continued drawdown of Lake Powell reservoir. In 2015, the large rocks in the rapid began to emerge, and in 2018 Returning Rapids Project was able to match a photo of the rapid and get a real sense of how close the rapid is to full restoration. It was the “Eureka” moment that inspired the creation of the project and the extensive documentation that’s happened since.
The La Rue photo was taken at 12:25 P.M. on September 21st, 1921. The group’s goal was to get an exact photo match at the exact time — down to the minute — 100 years later.
Another goal of the trip was to install several USGS benchmarks along the river corridor and create a new “river profile”, which will allow a better understanding about the returning rapids in lower Cataract as the river cuts through reservoir sediment.
In the past couple months, areas around the Colorado Plateau have experienced massive monsoon events, which often result in flash floods in canyons. These flood events are of particular interest in restoration zones below the reservoir’s high-water mark because they are the primary mechanism for moving reservoir sediment out of side canyons and bringing them closer to their natural state.
Further up Clearwater Canyon, the original creek bed can be seen, with walls of Dominy sediment looming on the side.
The mouth of Dark Canyon experienced a massive flood, widening the entrance by two or possibly three times its previous size.
By this point you’re probably wondering if the team successfully matched the centennial La Rue photo. To find out, head over to the Returning Rapids website and check out their most recent trip reports to find out.
