By Andru McCracken

What are the issues faced by the people of the Columbia River Basin, and how do those issues match up with other people around the world who also struggle with water issues? Two weeks ago, Valemount received a visit from an expedition exploring water issues in the Columbia River Basin.

Allison M. Jones, a New York based professional photographer, is using her medium to give voice to the troubles expressed by communities and scientists. Her project, entitled No Water No Life takes a look at what issues face people in communities like Valemount and how the creation of the Mica Dam and the logging and flooding of a giant tract of land that is now Kinbasket Reservoir has affected people and the community here.

To that end, Jones and her colleagues took photographs and video footage of the reservoir and conducted interviews with old timers like Alec and Jean Osadchuk and Bob Griffin who were forced to sell their land to BC Hydro. They spoke to Bob Beeson who spent many years working in the area before it was flooded and others.

Overall, Jones’ expedition focuses on the impacts of retreating glaciers, 400 dams within the basin, pollution from mining, agriculture and a nuclear site.

Jones is a part of the International League of Conservation Photographers, and has been compelled to use photography as a way of relaying an urgent message from scientists.

“We’re trying to bring together photography and science. Allowing photographers to serve as the voice for scientists,” she said. “As photographers we don’t presume to know. To know what the issues are, we turn to the scientists.”

“Science provides the evidence for what the message needs to be and our methodology is to learn as much as we can from the scientists and before we go out into the field,” she said.

“I’m only a photographer, but I am listening to what the scientists are saying and what the local community groups are saying.”

Her expedition is an epic journey around the Columbia River Basin (encompassing 1 province and 3 states) identifying watershed degradation issues.

The Columbia River is 1243 miles long. It spans one Canadian province, seven American states and 11 tribal nations. The entirety of the Columbia Basin is larger in area than France.