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A Ditch in Time: The City, the West and Water
Tracing the origins and growth of the Denver Water Department, this study of water and its unique role and history in the West, as well as in the nation, raises questions about the complex relationship among cities, suburbs, and rural areas, allowing us to consider this precious resource and its past, present, and future with both optimism and realism.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2012
25 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Nelson Limerick
36 books30 followersPatricia Nelson Limerick is an American historian, considered to be one of the leading historians of the American West. She was born and raised in Banning, California.
Limerick received a B.A. in American Studies in 1972 from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Ph.D. in American Studies in 1980 from Yale University. She worked at Harvard University as an Assistant Professor from 1980 to 1984. Previously she taught at Yale as a graduate teaching assistant, where she helped teach the highly-regarded 'daily themes' class. Since then Limerick has been at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she is Professor of History and chair of the Board of the Center of the American West.
Limerick is a former president of the American Studies Association (1996-1997) and the Western History Association (2000). She is known for her 1987 book The Legacy of Conquest, which is part of a body of historical writing sometimes known as the New Western History. In 1995, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.
Her essay on the Modoc War, titled "Haunted America" appears in the collection "Ways of Reading," a textbook widely used by undergraduate English students. She also co-edited a collection of essays, titled "Trails: Toward a New Western History," which relate to her famous 1989 Trails Through Time exhibit.
Limerick received a B.A. in American Studies in 1972 from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Ph.D. in American Studies in 1980 from Yale University. She worked at Harvard University as an Assistant Professor from 1980 to 1984. Previously she taught at Yale as a graduate teaching assistant, where she helped teach the highly-regarded 'daily themes' class. Since then Limerick has been at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she is Professor of History and chair of the Board of the Center of the American West.
Limerick is a former president of the American Studies Association (1996-1997) and the Western History Association (2000). She is known for her 1987 book The Legacy of Conquest, which is part of a body of historical writing sometimes known as the New Western History. In 1995, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.
Her essay on the Modoc War, titled "Haunted America" appears in the collection "Ways of Reading," a textbook widely used by undergraduate English students. She also co-edited a collection of essays, titled "Trails: Toward a New Western History," which relate to her famous 1989 Trails Through Time exhibit.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 13, 2013
The author was a big booster of Denver Water. For example, she noted that Denver per capita water use went down from 211 to 171 gallons per person day and she called that an achievement, But that is still a large amount of water. She was also incorrect about Aurora paying rights to Homestake in 1949 and then later going with Colorado Springs. Actually, Colorado Spring announced the project and the director for Aurora Utilities (as it was called at that time) called and asked to go 50/50.
The editor must have been a close friend because he/she allowed the author to include poems such as "Though we would never want to be catty, Engineers have made nature ratty, As they fill all our needs, We bombard them with screeds, Which for some reason drives then all batty."
The author will also use parentheses to put in asides such as (Reader Advisory: Academic Jargon Episode approaching) or (this phrasing surely missed its target with Stewart Udall, one of the most physically fit public officials in American history,). Parentheses were in both original quotes in the book. It was jarring.
Finally, she spends a lot of time about Glenn Saunders, the hired legal consultants and spokesperson for Denver Water from the 40's to the 70's. she spent a lot time on analyzing what Saunders was thinking as he made proclamations for Denver Water. The author missed that as legal counsel with his own firm, Saunders reported to the Denver Water General Manager. So the person who ultimately decided what Denver Water thought about a project, case or an opponent, wasn't the hired spokesman who could get canned at any time, but the person who hired or fired the legal counsel.
The editor must have been a close friend because he/she allowed the author to include poems such as "Though we would never want to be catty, Engineers have made nature ratty, As they fill all our needs, We bombard them with screeds, Which for some reason drives then all batty."
The author will also use parentheses to put in asides such as (Reader Advisory: Academic Jargon Episode approaching) or (this phrasing surely missed its target with Stewart Udall, one of the most physically fit public officials in American history,). Parentheses were in both original quotes in the book. It was jarring.
Finally, she spends a lot of time about Glenn Saunders, the hired legal consultants and spokesperson for Denver Water from the 40's to the 70's. she spent a lot time on analyzing what Saunders was thinking as he made proclamations for Denver Water. The author missed that as legal counsel with his own firm, Saunders reported to the Denver Water General Manager. So the person who ultimately decided what Denver Water thought about a project, case or an opponent, wasn't the hired spokesman who could get canned at any time, but the person who hired or fired the legal counsel.
January 5, 2016
I'm nearing the end of this book and want to capture a thought. I'm wondering how much background the author has in the life sciences, especially ecology. In these final chapters she seems to be relegating water to humans for use in rural and urban areas. I haven't read anything about the importance of supporting natural ecosystems. (Nor have I seen anything stating that at some point, human population is going to have to plateau or preferably, drop.) Water is being treated like the truffula trees in The Lorax.
Maybe this should be four stars. I learned a lot, but it wasn't exactly a fascinating read. I did enjoy the limericks at the beginning of each chapter. Here's one example:
The West left settlers aghast;
It was dry; it was rugged; it was vast.
They thought water was the trigger
For making towns bigger,
An idea whose time is now past.
Maybe this should be four stars. I learned a lot, but it wasn't exactly a fascinating read. I did enjoy the limericks at the beginning of each chapter. Here's one example:
The West left settlers aghast;
It was dry; it was rugged; it was vast.
They thought water was the trigger
For making towns bigger,
An idea whose time is now past.
April 14, 2021
This history of the Denver Water Board was more interesting than I had anticipated, thanks to the author's skill and sense of humor. History Colorado brought in experts to join our online book discussion, which made it much more informative, and provided answers to questions I'd had for years. Such as: Why wasn't the Two Forks Dam built? Why doesn't the Board try harder to discourage bluegrass lawns in Denver, which are a huge waste of water in this semi-arid climate? Does the Board's legal setup still give Denver priority over suburban areas on water resources in the event of another serious drought? And many more.
Before reading this, I'd automatically sided with environmentalists on water issues, but now I have a more balanced view, as I see the complexity of resource management and local politics. I still think that new residential expansion in the greater Denver area should have been discouraged, and perhaps even outlawed, about 20 years ago. (As a side benefit, it would also have prevented the increased traffic congestion we've seen.) Instead, new apartments built number in the thousands every year, and yet home prices and apartment rental costs remain astoundingly high, even through the pandemic. And suburban Douglas County still obtains its water from non-renewable sources, drawing down an aquifer. I wonder where all this is headed . . .
Before reading this, I'd automatically sided with environmentalists on water issues, but now I have a more balanced view, as I see the complexity of resource management and local politics. I still think that new residential expansion in the greater Denver area should have been discouraged, and perhaps even outlawed, about 20 years ago. (As a side benefit, it would also have prevented the increased traffic congestion we've seen.) Instead, new apartments built number in the thousands every year, and yet home prices and apartment rental costs remain astoundingly high, even through the pandemic. And suburban Douglas County still obtains its water from non-renewable sources, drawing down an aquifer. I wonder where all this is headed . . .
May 26, 2019
I am new to Colorado and to the history of water in the West. My interest in A Ditch in Time was piqued by the fact that I have a lovely irrigation ditch that runs through my front yard. I was enchanted by this water feature from the time I first set eyes on it, but had no idea what it actually was, or what a headache it would become for me.
Patricia Limerick’s book was enormously helpful in orienting me to the complex topic of water in the West. She treats the subject, and more specifically, the history of Denver Water, with humor and considerable balance, which is exactly what I had hoped for in selecting this particular book. It is indeed refreshing to read an authoritative source on a topic that has become politicized in modern times and feel that you are hearing the best and the worst of all sides of the issue.
A Ditch in Time is only the beginning of my education on the history of water rights and development in the West, and what a great start it has been at that. Happily, Limerick’s book has had the added benefit of giving me new appreciation for that lovely ditch running in my front yard.
Patricia Limerick’s book was enormously helpful in orienting me to the complex topic of water in the West. She treats the subject, and more specifically, the history of Denver Water, with humor and considerable balance, which is exactly what I had hoped for in selecting this particular book. It is indeed refreshing to read an authoritative source on a topic that has become politicized in modern times and feel that you are hearing the best and the worst of all sides of the issue.
A Ditch in Time is only the beginning of my education on the history of water rights and development in the West, and what a great start it has been at that. Happily, Limerick’s book has had the added benefit of giving me new appreciation for that lovely ditch running in my front yard.
September 7, 2024
I am definitely biased on the sense that the Colorado connection makes this book particularly relevant and therefore interesting for me. In general though, I particularly liked how Limerick would present provocative questions related to water and industry that challenge generally held notions. I also do like her casual style, though sometimes that could make the book feel somewhat disorganized and stream of consciousness like.
May 27, 2022
A bit of a slog to read but worthwhile. Gives the reader a basic knowledge to understand and respond to issues related to water and not sound stupid--always a good position to be in.
Also includes bits of humor and story.
Also includes bits of humor and story.
June 20, 2023
An excellent look at water in the west, focusing on Colorado and Denver. I really appreciated that, almost every water book I've read focuses on the lower basin states. It was awesome to read one about the upper basin.
I recommend this to anyone who is interested in water law or Colorado history.
I recommend this to anyone who is interested in water law or Colorado history.
March 10, 2021
Great read on the history of Denver Water with an extremely boring title.
April 9, 2021
Just a little too impressed with itself.
January 14, 2023
Good history, well written!
May 26, 2015
I really enjoy her writing. Limerick's story is part of a new genre of historical writing called techno-environemntal.... or something like that. The focus is on connections between nature and technology and how the two concepts are not opposites, but contribute to the development and perception of the other.
This case is the history of Denver Water, and organization that can easily fit underneath the umbrella of "urban imperialism." I really enjoyed the detailed story of the history of Denver Water. More importantly, Limerick does a good job (but could use more) or showing how the "nature-loving" outdoor life style of Colorado is highly reliant upon a high-tech, highly- subsidized infrastructure that makes such a lifestyle possible. People would not be coming here in droves if they had to live like people do in some of the remote mountain towns. I really appreciated that perspective and the idea that often some elements of Colorado and the environment must be destroyed to continue the lifestyle so many of us are used to here, and we are all implicit in that no matter how much we dislike Denver Water, suburban expansion, or the degradation of the local environment. Even though it may seem obvious, not many are aware of the how our use and choices relating to water have affected and still affect the rest of the state.
This case is the history of Denver Water, and organization that can easily fit underneath the umbrella of "urban imperialism." I really enjoyed the detailed story of the history of Denver Water. More importantly, Limerick does a good job (but could use more) or showing how the "nature-loving" outdoor life style of Colorado is highly reliant upon a high-tech, highly- subsidized infrastructure that makes such a lifestyle possible. People would not be coming here in droves if they had to live like people do in some of the remote mountain towns. I really appreciated that perspective and the idea that often some elements of Colorado and the environment must be destroyed to continue the lifestyle so many of us are used to here, and we are all implicit in that no matter how much we dislike Denver Water, suburban expansion, or the degradation of the local environment. Even though it may seem obvious, not many are aware of the how our use and choices relating to water have affected and still affect the rest of the state.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews