The Headwaters

Rivers and streams are not structurally static - over time, environmental processes will lead to major geological shifts within watersheds. Changes in water volume and currents enact erosion, and loose sediment resettles downstream - actively reshaping the bed and banks of a waterway. River deltas will often create networks of anabranching paths - snaking offshoots that stray from and reconvene with a main channel, carving pools and riffles in their wake.

Connecticut College’s campus is sited on the crest of a hilltop, and its western slope is the gateway to its historic Arboretum. The barren hillside between the two sites is marred by stepped grading and impervious hardscapes, resulting in a fractured landscape that suffers from severe flooding after coastal rainfall. The Headwaters spans this traverse, creating paths that guide hikers and running water alike towards the preserve and promoting greater ecological cohesion.