Cove Wash by junge1
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Description
In the 1950's the Federal Government built diversion dams, ditches and domestic wells on the reservation to help the Navajo. Fifty years later much of these structures are no longer in working order.
This picture shows Cove Wash, which flows on the north side of the Chuska Mountains. A concrete dam diverted water from Cove Wash into lined ditches and laterals for irrigation of fields. The dam was breached and destroyed during spring flooding years ago and never rebuilt.
The reason the dam was never rebuilt was that by the time it was breached the Navajo realized that the water coming off the mountains was polluted from Uranium mining. Water flowing from the Chuskas is no longer used for domestic purposes or irrigation.
This picture was taken on 4 November 2003,
Sig...
In the 1940's Uranium mining began on the reservation and continued until the late 1970's.
Because times were hard for the Navajo, most families were thankful when mining started on the reservation because they were given employment. Unfortunately, the people who operated the mines did not tell the Navajo of the danger that was associated with uranium mining. The miners and their families were forced to figure out the danger on their own, from experiencing the illnesses themselves (Brugge 2000).
When mining ceased in the late 1070's, mining companies walked away from the mines without sealing the tunnel openings, filling the gaping pits, sometimes hundreds of feet deep, or removing the piles of radioactive uranium ore and mine waste. Over 1,000 of these unsealed tunnels, unsealed pits and radioactive waste piles still remain on the Navajo Reservation today, with Navajo families living within a hundred feet of the mine sites. The Navajo graze their livestock here, and have used radioactive mine tailings to build their homes. Navajo children play in the mines, and uranium mine tailings have turned up in school playgrounds (103rd Congress, 1994).
In 2008 the US Congress authorized a five-year, multi-agency cleanup of uranium contamination on the Navajo Reservation (Wikipedia).
The Navajo have erected a memorial adjacent to the Cove Chapter House honoring their fallen soldiers and victims of uranium contamination (picture uploaded 14 May 2009).
Comments (35)
UteBigSmile
Dieses Foto ist einfach zauberhaft, gefällt mir sehr sehr gut Siggi!
jayfar
Beautiful scenery.
renecyberdoc
nature at work.
BB9
Gorgeous!!:-)
bazza
This all sounds disgusting and someone needs to be held responsible for this, The mine owners that waked away and left it like this...Nice capture Sig!!
qrud
Power of water on earth.
dakotabluemoon
A very interesting pic and info on this gully.
Hendesse
It is a shame that such a beautiful landscape has been so polluted just for profit. I feel sorry for the people there. Anyhow, an excellent shot. Wonderful colors and light.
debbielove
And they should send the costs of the clean up to the Mining Companies! But they won't! You will pay out of your taxes... A real shame.. But a beautiful shot Sig! Well taken.. Rob
Faemike55
beautiful photo and sad, but all-too-common story
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. Sad to hear such news. God Bless.
0rest4wicked
I will never understand why everyone else pays the price while big corporations reap their profits, then turn their backs and walk away! Where are the morales and ethics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
crunch01
i know the sierra club guys will freak but boy that would be a great place for off road cycling!!! whaaaaaa---whaaaaaa zzzzzz!!! :o) great!
flavia49
wonderful capture and very interesting and sad text!! fantastic work!
Richardphotos
terrible what the big companies do.the same thing here in Dallas with numerous areas with lead poisoning.many children have died from it your capture is beautiful and looks very much like an area in Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo
virginiese Online Now!
a very sad story I even didn't know until now. This mining company should be sued in justice. Great capture !
bobrgallegos
A very beautiful well composed capture as well as very interesting narrative!! Seems like these people are always being taken advantage of.
auntietk
Just another example of big business grabbing the natural resources for their profit and laughing all the way to the bank. It's the same story with timber up here. At least we're not being physically poisoned by the result of their greed. (Sorry ... a current topic of discussion here this month!)
drifterlee
I wish I could reproduce this in Vue. Gorgeous!
sandra46
WONDERFUL SHOT
npauling
How could those mine owners just walk away from their mess. Where is their concience? The beauty of the place belies the hidden contaminants. What a shame. I hope they get it all cleaned up properly. A beautiful photo.
bebert
very nice shot and very good lesson of history.
rachris480907
Beautiful shot, Sig, with a very sobering text. Always appreciate you sharing the histories behind so many of your photos.
lyron
Very nice place!!!!
fallen21
Very beautiful place, excellent shot.
nefertiabet
Sehr tragisch diese Geschicht über den Abbau von Uran und den schrecklichen Folgen. Danke für die Info Sig.
farmerC
Exellent shot.
ia-du-lin
beautiful scene, great colored trees, very nice shot
ragouc
Good shot. Well done.
Crudelitas
Wow, fantastic landscape! Love the colors! Great photo!