40-Mile "Drape" to Cover U.S. River?

River Playground

Photograph by Matt Slaby, Luceo

The stretch of the Arkansas River that Christo and Jeanne-Claude chose for their art installation is a favorite spot for river sports such as fly-fishing and whitewater rafting. (See National Geographic Traveler's Colorado family vacation planner.)

As with many of Christo's other projects, "Over the River" is controversial—especially among members of the river-protection group Rags Over the Arkansas River, or ROAR.

For instance, opponents worry the installation will negatively impact the environment and local wildlife such as Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and the rare peregrine falcon.

Christo's team has taken steps to minimize these impacts, according to a statement on Christo's website. "The construction and viewing periods have been carefully scheduled around breeding and nesting seasons," the statement said.

"As an added precaution, construction buffer zones will be created near potentially active [falcon] nests and around designated sheep areas."

Published January 11, 2011

Drape Over Troubled Water?

Photograph by Jason Miller, AP

In an artist's illustration, fabric panels drape over metal beams that span the width of the river.

Opponents disagree with Christo's assurances that the project's effects on the environment will be temporary.

"While true that the actual exhibit is only for two weeks, the process to construct, assemble, and remove the structure would take two and a half years or more—leaving behind 9,100 steel rock anchors permanently implanted in the canyon walls," said Carol Neville, a member of ROAR.

"This extended time frame will create adverse impacts that will linger for years afterward."

Published January 11, 2011

Christo Fan

Photograph by Matt Slaby, Luceo

Christo signs a poster depicting the potential "Over the River" project in this undated photograph.

Environmental concerns aside, opponents also say the project could negatively impact the local economy by causing increased traffic and lane closures along the stretch of Highway 50 that runs through the region.

Christo's team said that construction will take place only during non-summer months, when traffic is relatively light.

But ROAR's Neville, a local fly-fishing guide, said that strategy won't be enough to save many businesses.

"Fall and spring make up two thirds of our year in terms of when we make our income," Neville said.

"If we have to stop for those traffic delays—even if it's only five minutes in each direction—we won't be able to fit all the [tourist] shuttles in a day. We barely make it as it is. You add that in there, and we can't do it."

(Get more Colorado news: "National Snow and Ice Data Center Gets a Cool Makeover.")

Published January 11, 2011

Giant "Lily Pad"

Photograph by Pete Wright, AP

In one of Christo's past artworks, an island in Miami's Biscayne Bay (see map) is covered with bright pink polypropylene fabric in May 1983.

The project covered eleven islands with about 6.5 million square feet (604,000 square kilometers) of the floating material, transforming each isle into a giant lily pad.

Published January 11, 2011

Umbrella Art

Photograph by Nick Ut, AP

A car passes by several of Christo's yellow umbrellas on Interstate 5 near Fort Tejon, California, in October 1991.

Titled simply "The Umbrellas," the project featured thousands of giant yellow umbrellas "planted" throughout a region in southern California.

(See "Baja California Rock Art Dated to 7,500 Years Ago.")

Published January 11, 2011

The Wall

Photograph by Edgar Schoepal, AP

An overhead view of Christo's past installation "The Wall" is seen during a press preview at the Oberhausen Gasometer arts center in Berlin in April 1999.

For "The Wall," Christo and his team stacked 13,000 empty, painted oil barrels to create a wall that measured 85 feet (26 meters) high and 223 feet (68 meters) wide.

Published January 11, 2011

Sold Down the River?

Photograph by Matt Slaby, Luceo

Rafters and recreationists gather along a stretch of Colorado's Arkansas River that could soon be the site of an art project by U.S. artist Christo. (See more river pictures.)

The project's opponents point out that traffic delays caused by the project's construction could affect the ability of health and emergency personnel to provide medical aid to local residents.

"The health industry is extremely concerned," ROAR's Neville said. "We have people that live off of the main road, and they're homebound. They can't go to the doctor's to get health care. Every two or three days, they have to have blood counts and other very specific treatments."

Christo's team has said it's willing to "provide ambulance and helicopter services to help expedite emergency-response times" during the project's two-week exhibition period in 2014.

Published January 11, 2011

"Over the River" Observer

Photograph by Dominic Favre, Keystone/AP

A visitor looks at a drawing of Christo's upcoming "Over the River" project during a 2009 press conference in Switzerland.

The river-protection group's Neville and other opponents of the project are concerned that their stretch of the Arkansas River will create long-term damage to the environment and to residents' way of life.

"This river corridor is like a national model for blending wildlife and human habitation together, and it works," Neville said. "But it's a balance.

"Something like this coming in can tip it over and it will never be the same again. It won't be a temporary effect, and this won't be a temporary exhibit. It will have years and years—maybe even decades—of effects afterward."

(Get National Geographic's tips on how to conserve freshwater.)

Published January 11, 2011