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Recently, URCA student and third year environmental science major Emma Prott spent time on the Rio Grande along with Adriana Martinez, PhD, Full Professor in Geography & GIS and Environmental Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Martinez is continuing her research along the Texas border, and enlisted the assistance of Prott who joined Martinez during the November holiday break. Prott is currently Martinez’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) assistant where she is conducting an up-close examination of the impact of the anti-immigration buoys on river processes.

Prott worked with Martinez on the Rio Grande to collect sediment samples in order to examine the impact of a 1,000-foot string of buoy barriers meant to deter undocumented immigration. The team’s work included drone flights and time in the water at the buoys on the Rio Grande to gather sediment samples and measure water velocity. According to Martinez, the buoys are impacting the flow and shape of the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass.

Prott shared details about this work in an area that holds national attention.

Tell us about your trip: 
Dr. Martinez and I traveled to Eagle Pass, Texas to view and collect samples on the Rio Grande River. On the first day of fieldwork, we were able to see the river from a property right next to the river. The wire created a boundary between us and the river, so Dr. Martinez used this spot to do a drone flight.

Dr. Martinez used her drone to collect footage of the river from above and recorded how the buoys displaced the water. After seeing the river for the first time, we organized and packed up the car with our equipment to be used for the next day on the river. On our river day, we checked in with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troops in Shelby Park and loaded our equipment onto the airboats. The airboats took us along the river and to the buoys.

During our boat ride, we were able to collect pictures of the stark differences of the militarized U.S. border compared to the normal Mexico side. Once we researched the buoys, we waded into the water to collect sediment samples along the U.S. and Mexico sides of the buoys. Dr. Martinez used a drill tool to dig into the river floor to collect the different sediment pieces. These samples were put into zip-lock bags and were set aside on land while we continued to collect samples. While Dr. Martinez collected samples, I took many photos and videos of the river, the process of collecting the samples, and both sides of the river. After collecting samples, Dr. Martinez then used a velocity meter to collect speed and depth data at different points on the river near the buoys. This will help us further understand how the buoys are changing the dynamics of the river and how those changes could be dangerous.

Finally, Dr. Martinez used her drone again while another researcher and I released green dye into the river. The dye was released 50 buoys in on both the U.S. and Mexico sides of the river. This was done to see how the river flows and how water can travel through the river when the buoys are in the water.

Is this your first URCA research project? If so, how did it meet your expectations? 
This is my first URCA position while studying at SIUE. After working with Dr. Martinez this semester in both the lab and in fieldwork, the project has gone above my expectations. When applying for the URCA I never expected to travel and conduct fieldwork, but it provided a great hands-on experience and a better appreciation of the river by seeing it in person.

Tell us about what you have learned by having Dr. Martinez as a mentor.  
While working with Dr. Martinez, I’ve learned that she is a very passionate, knowledgeable, and charismatic mentor.  Dr. Martinez’s extensive knowledge of rivers and sediment sample processing created a very easy environment for me to learn new laboratory skills and more information about rivers. She was always available to answer my questions and made me feel closer to the work by updating me on the river and buoys throughout the semester. Through her help in the lab and shared care for the Rio Grande River, I felt more empowered and hopeful that this research can create great change.

Did being on the Rio Grande and working with the buoys affect your perspective on the issues at the border? If so, how? 
Traveling to Eagle Pass and working hands-on with the buoys solidified how pressing the militarization of the Rio Grande River truly is. When visiting the buoys to collect samples it was very easy to see how much the river was changing because of their presence. As the water traveled through the buoys, we were able to see faster currents pushing through to the U.S. side of the buoys. The change in water velocity is predicted to change the shape and speed of the river. It's upsetting to see such a beautiful river being impacted through unnatural barriers.

Besides seeing the current changes to the river, it was very difficult to see just how militarized the U.S. side of the border is compared to the Mexico side. On the U.S. side of the border, a once foliage-rich area is now barren and filled with concertina wire. This razor-sharp wire now collects the clothes from the immigrants that have crossed into the U.S. side.

After seeing the stark differences between the U.S. and Mexico sides of the river, I hope change can be brought to demilitarize this shared river. The current tactics being used by the Texas state government to prevent illegal crossings are not working and only put people and the river in danger. The river should not be further damaged and destroyed to prevent illegal crossings.

Now that you have had your experience, what do you see that is needed in order to provide safety for all who use the river?  
The two best ways to make the river and surrounding areas safer for all people are to begin the process of demilitarization. The Texas state government would need to remove the existing buoys in the river and concertina wire on the U.S. riverbanks. By removing the buoys, the immigrants that cross the river will have a decreased risk of drowning. The buoys make the river conditions unpredictable, which can send immigrants to dangerous sections of the river while trying to cross.

Removing the concertina wire and beginning remediation of the U.S. riverbanks can hopefully aid in new growth to occur. Plants and grasses on riverbanks provide structure and can prevent erosion on the damaged U.S. riverbanks. Additionally, taking out the wire will prevent unnecessary cuts and gashes to the immigrants that are crossing. The wire does not prevent them from crossing, it only puts their life at risk during the process.

What is next for you and for your research?  
I plan to continue my research with Dr. Martinez in the spring semester. From our most recent trip in November, I will continue to process new sediment samples that we collected together. I will continue to process these samples to understand just how the river is changing due to the continued existence of the buoys.

PHOTOS: Adriana Martinez, PhD, Full Professor in Geography & GIS and Environmental Sciences, and third-year environmental toxicology major Emma Prott in the Rio Grande.