TROUBLE
IN THE
HEADWATERS
a film by
Daniel J. Pierce
featuring
Dr. Younes Alila
THE FILM
SYNOPSIS
Trouble in the Headwaters is a 25-minute documentary that investigates the 2018 Grand Forks flood and the connection to widespread clearcut logging in the watersheds of the Kettle River Basin.
The City of Grand Forks has faced an onslaught of destructive floods. More than 100 families have been permanently displaced and tens of millions of dollars have been spent on flood infrastructure. But new science has revealed that the root cause of the floods lies hundreds of kilometres upstream, where timber companies have clearcut vast swaths of the surrounding watersheds. We follow UBC hydrologist and engineer, Dr. Younes Alila, deep into the forest headwaters to reveal how clearcut logging has unleashed a vicious cycle of flooding, landslides and drought in British Columbia.
REVIEWS
"Thank you to both of you, Daniel and Dr. Alila, for making this documentary and bringing it to so many people around BC. I hope it can make a difference in future policy decisions."
"This was a powerful and eyeopening video. Thank you for shedding light on such an important issue. I had no idea that clear-cut logging could have such severe impacts on flooding and local ecosystems."
"What a powerful and important film. Thank you to the filmmakers, Dr. Alila, and everyone who brought this story to light. As a community that has lived through the consequences of industrial logging, we’re deeply grateful to see the upstream truth finally being told."
"Excellent documentary! I'm glad more professionals are coming out, albeit slowly, talking about the connection between land use and geomorphology."
"Good work, the film is educational and the moments of levity with the characters actually make it easier to digest than a straight up doom and gloom tale."
"This video made me a regular donor to this work. I am so appreciative of the professor’s perspective and work that he is sharing, and to all the people who spoke on the film. This brings to light something we have likely all thought about as we have watched our forests disappear at and ever increasing rate."