The circumstances surrounding this photograph are described in Chapter 25 of Side Channels, "A Western Birding Excursion: Of Wind, Rain, Rocks, and Renewal" on page 148. This photograph is one of three used on the book's cover. Upon closer examination of the photograph, you can see wing dams jutting out from the riverbanks. These dams are used to concentrate the river's flow toward the middle of the channel in order to self-scour a deeper navigation channel for large boats, such as the towboat-barge seen in the photograph. Click on the photo to enlarge.
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[Photograph by Thomas V. Lerczak. Illustration by Patti Malmborg Reilly.]