River at Risk Brings Whitewater Excitement to the Giant
IMAX Screen at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego
As new scientific studies forecast water shortages in the Western U.S. and around the world, a new giant-screen film explores the issues, presents real solutions and delivers an uplifting
Rafts, dories, and kayaks carried the expedition over 200 miles down the Colorado River from Lee’s Ferry to Diamond Creek.
message of hope for future generations. Opening March 14, 2008 in the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater, GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE: River at Riskwill take audiences on an exhilarating river-rafting adventure down the Colorado River with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and anthropologist Wade Davis as they embark on a critical mission of water conservation and river restoration.
GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE is the newest film from MacGillivray Freeman Films, the critically-acclaimed producers of EVEREST and THE LIVING SEA. Featuring songs and music by Dave Matthews Band, the film combines science, adventure and breathtaking natural beauty to tell an inspirational story of how ordinary people can make a difference for our parched planet – one that is running out of clean, fresh water so fast that the U.N. estimates that 40% of the world could face life-threatening shortages by the year 2050.
One of the river’s man-made lakes, Lake Powell, is now only half full after years of drought. The white, chalky band above the water indicates where the lake’s waterline used to be.
Leading this important expedition are world-renowned river advocate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and celebrated author/anthropologist/explorer Wade Davis, accompanied by their daughters—Kick Kennedy and Tara Davis—for whom this journey will become a moving rite of passage. They are guided by Shana Watahomigie, a member of the Havasupai tribe and the first Native American to become a National Park Ranger and river guide.
“Safe fresh water is a human right like clean air, yet more than one-fifth of the world’s people
suffer without adequate clean water,” says Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who recalls going down the Colorado just a few decades ago with his father and seeing wide, sandy banks and animals that have since vanished. “My hope is that GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE will remind the world that restoring our waterways and conserving fresh water are important, not just in developing nations but here at home. The quality and survival of our civilization will depend on it.”
According to the San Diego County Water Authority, more than 75 percent of San Diego County’s water is imported, with the Colorado River serving as the largest single source. In
Rivers have served as political borders, economic conduits, sacred religious symbols and passageways to discovery.
the film, the Colorado River serves as a powerful metaphor to illustrate how interconnected our rivers, water supply and human actions really are.
One of the world’s mightiest rivers, the Colorado once flowed freely across 1,400 miles, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Today, the river no longer reaches the sea at the Colorado Delta -- once a thriving estuary that supported the most diverse biosphere in North America. A source of water and power to 25 million Americans, the river is literally shrinking due to a severe drought cycle now facing the American Southwest. Researchers predict this so-called “mega-drought” could last into the next century, threatening to wreck havoc among the seven states that depend heavily on the river’s water.
Eons of geological time have made the Grand Canyon what it is today, the most spectacular canyon in the world.
As the explorers float through the breathtaking canyons and crash through raging rapids, they also trace the history of the river. They compare what they see on their trip with photographs taken during explorer John Wesley Powell’s courageous second expedition down the river in 1872—and find the landscape dramatically changed. For the two fathers whose life work is so closely connected to water, the expedition is also an opportunity to pass the conservation torch to their daughters, whose generation must face the task of making sure we will all have a share in the earth’s fresh water resources.
GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE: River at Risk is produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films and MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation in association with Waterkeeper Alliance and Museum Film Network, presented by Teva and supported by Kohler Co. The film is directed by Greg MacGillivray, produced by Greg MacGillivray, Mark Krenzien, and Shaun MacGillivray, and written by Jack Stephens and Stephen Judson. The score is co-composed by Dave Matthews Band’s Stefan Lessard and Steve Wood.
About the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (“the Fleet”) is home to Southern California’s only IMAX® Dome Theater and 100+ hands-on science exhibits for all ages. Watch immersive giant-screen films and amazing planetarium shows on the IMAX Dome and experience seven galleries of fun, interactive exhibits. A 23-passenger Motion Simulator Ride thrills visitors with journeys into exciting realms. Enjoy sandwiches, salads and healthful treats in Galileo’s Café. Find unique educational toys and games, books, IMAX DVDs and more in the Science Store. Located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Blvd, the Fleet is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the public’s understanding and enjoyment of science and technology. For information regarding current admission prices, please call (619) 238-1233 or visit our Web site at www.rhfleet.org.
