The sculpture is made of mild steel, cast silicon bronze, cast iron and electric light, and measures 1 foot (0.30 m), 6 inches (15 cm) x 3 feet (0.91 m) x 13 feet (4.0 m), 6 inches (15 cm). It was funded by the City of Portland Development Commission's Percent for Art program.[1]
According to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, which administers the work, Alluvial Wall "alludes to the interwoven layers of the river's pre-industrial alluvial geology. It is an echo of the natural shape of the river before Portland was Portland."[1] In her walking tour of Portland, one author said the sculpture resembles "what you might see on a beach after the tide goes out". Its copper "kelp-like strips" are embedded with black metal objects, including a child's ball, a morel mushroom and a railroad spike.[2]
The sculpture is one of four by Rigga along the esplanade; the others are Echo Gate and Stack Stalk by Ean Eldred and Ghost Ship by James Harrison.[3]Alluvial Wall is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.[4]