Generations of Indigenous people in Oklahoma have witnessed the loss of their land and natural resources, and today, the fight centers on the Kiamichi River. For many, this is seen as a genocide. In Drowned Land, director Colleen Thurston guides us through her personal connection to the river, recalling visiting the man-made lakes in Oklahoma every year, unaware of the history beneath its waters at the time.
The narrative reveals how lakes like Grand Lake, built in the early 1930s, displaced entire Indigenous communities. These human costs were largely ignored in favor of building hydroelectric plants and dams. As Oklahoma’s landscape transformed, these lakes and dams became symbols of progress at the expense of Indigenous communities, local farmers, and the surrounding ecology.
The documentary shifts to the present-day struggle surrounding the Kiamichi River. Water from the river is being diverted to support hydroelectric plants and urban areas, particularly in Texas, leaving the river depleted or, worse, poisoned. The legal fight to stop the river’s exploitation has been caught up in bureaucratic red tape, making it almost impossible for local farmers and Indigenous residents to get relief. Closed-door meetings and short-notice projects only add to the frustration as plans continue without the input of those most affected. This ongoing extraction of natural resources is seen as a continuation of the cycle of forced displacement and environmental degradation.
“…the fight for the Kiamichi River is not just about saving water—it’s about preserving their heritage…”
Through interviews and on-the-ground footage, the film draws a direct line from historical land grabs, such as the ones that led to the Greenwood Massacre and the Trail of Tears, to today’s environmental and legal battles. For the Choctaw Nation and others living in rural Oklahoma, the fight for the Kiamichi River is not just about saving water—it’s about preserving their heritage, protecting their land, and breaking the long cycle of exploitation that has defined their relationship with state and federal authorities. This exploitation continues today.
In Drowned Land, filmmaker Thurston gives voice to many who go unheard and makes her message personal to those living along the river relying on its water. Many are seen from the outside (energy companies) as complainers and people who only want to live in the past. Along with the Indigenous communities of the Cherokee and the Choctaw are farmers whose water supply is dwindling, residents who have to boil the poisoned water, and the near extinction of Oklahoma’s mussel-farming industry. It all culminates with a walk down the historic Trail of Tears.
Drowned Land is a powerful documentary. It’s troublesome that when it comes to the environment vs. commerce and corporate greed vs. local survival, we have to take sides. Sure, lakes and hydroelectric power sound great. There has to be a way to find a compromise that provides energy to the communities without blatant disregard for the future.
Drowned Land makes it crystal clear—what’s flowing down the Kiamichi River isn’t just water but generations of pain, loss, and resilience. Colleen Thurston masterfully connects the dots between past injustices and present-day exploitation, reminding us that history doesn’t just repeat itself; it floods back with a vengeance…or worse, disappears.
"…what’s flowing down the Kiamichi River isn’t just water but generations of pain, loss, and resilience."
