River Damn

Saint Joseph River Dam

10/12/2011

Composition 1

Logan Mosher

The most peaceful place in the entire world to me is standing in the shallows near the shore of the Berrien Springs Dam. Located on the Saint Joseph River in Michigan is a Hydro-electric dam that supplies a power source for Berrien County. I go fishing at the dam about twice a week during the summer to catch running Steel head and Salmon during the spawning seasons. The fast moving water that flows from the dam is calming and seems to whisk away any stress that I may have. It is the most peaceful place and I hold it close to my heart because it is still beautiful in nature even though the dam itself is bad for it. The landscape around the damn is pristine and still. When walking down the dirt road to reach the river bank, a slight buzzing sound enters the ear drums. It is as if there are a million honey bees buzzing around the aluminum jungle gym of the Transformer station. The bees fly up and down the power lines that hang over head like vines in the forest. As the road ends, a slight opening in the thick mated hair of the underbrush reveals itself. In the opening is an old wooden ladder that is used to get down onto the bank of the river. The dam greatly affected the water level of the river and so where the water bank used to be compared to where it is now there is a steep drop off. The wood ladder feels like an elderly woman’s skin, cold and yet soft from the many years of age and ware. Once at the bottom of the ladder, the sand and rocks greet the boots of rubber waders. Instantly, the sound of rushing water slapping the rocks and boulders like a cowboy slapping his knee to some “good-ole” country resonated off the walls of the bank. The water swirls and churns off of the rocks to create an orchestra of bubbling and trickling symphony. Many of the rocks look to be hundreds of years old. Looking out over the river, a giant weeping willow tree hangs its green...