 Click on any image below to view larger images in a slide show. The Carmel River is now free to flow in its new course past where the San Clemente Dam once stood. The river has not flowed unimpeded in this location for 94 years. An incredible milestone in the annals of history and ecological restoration! Here is a link to a KSBW TV feature story. I look forward to going up there in a few days!
 I had started this painting about a month ago. Having come back to the site much later than anticipated, it was necessary to paint out part of the painting with the changes that had taken place in that month. The logs that are placed upright in the ground will act as barriers to collect woody debris coming down the river in high flows. It will also aid in creating new habitats along the river banks and river itself. The workman are nearing completion of the fifty six weirs/step pools construction on that day, November 7. Quite a feat of human engineering and creativity. It was interesting talking with some of them...they are quite proud of their work..and well they should be!  Where the dam used to be!  The view above is the dam in November 2014.
This grove of trees is part of where the Monterey Downs Development is proposed. All around me, and as far as I could see, the trees would be cut down. It is a solid forest of amazing oaks in this area where they would like to put in 1280 homes instead of leaving this alone! It must not happen! When I was painting there the second day, a coyote was coming through until it saw me reach for my camera. It was just about forty feet away when it turned around to go along another way. This painting was created over five days.        The color in this image is more accurate than the preceding images. |
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