By Jess Carey
Names, like rivers, carry stories. Names are powerful, and reflect countless layers of connection to land and place. Baduwa’t is the original Wiyot name for what is now known as the Mad River. It was flippantly dubbed “mad” after a party of white land surveyors got into a squabble while camped on the banks in 1849.
The river flows 113 miles from its headwaters in Trinity County to meet the sea just north of Arcata, providing water for over 90,000 Humboldt County residents. It is a biodiversity hotspot, sustaining habitat for Coho and Chinook salmon, beavers and countless other species of plants and animals. It is one of the most remote watersheds in Northern California and carries water from snow-topped Klamath peaks to your cup of morning coffee.
A legacy of exploitation began with the erasure of its true name. Over 150 years of mining, damming and diversion have impacted the watershed dramatically. Extensive logging activities take place throughout the river’s basin, including high-impact practices like clear-cutting and road building. The watershed’s lower reaches have largely been leveed to prevent flooding. Runoff, erosion and subsequent habitat loss are a few of the threats to the river’s ecosystem. The river was listed as sediment, temperature and turbidity impaired by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act in 1992 and 2006.
Through the lens of colonialism, rivers may be worth only what they provide that can be sold, and names may be mere lines on a map — but there are some who remember Baduwa’t as a crucial lifeline for the Wiyot people. Community members and local agencies are partnering to revive the river’s health and encourage cultural connection. The Baduwa’t Watershed Council, formerly known as the Mad River Alliance, is a nonprofit organization based out of Blue Lake dedicated to the reclamation, protection and restoration of the Baduwa’t River and its watershed. They host river cleanups, educational programs, and community outreach and are currently developing plans to protect tributaries across the county.
One cannot inspire change without first telling a story. The Baduwa’t Documentary will premiere at the Eureka Theatre on Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. The film, co-directed by Dave Feral and Michelle Hernandez, is a collaborative project exploring the watershed’s history and highlighting connections to the place. $12 tickets with proceeds supporting the Council can be purchased online, and students can receive a free ticket by emailing info@baduwatwatershedcouncil.org.
There is power in a name, and a brighter future for Baduwa’t begins with honoring her heritage.
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