Three Waters Mountain is written in reference to a mountain of the same name located in the Wind River Range of Northwestern Wyoming. Water from the slopes of this mountain eventually flows into one of three major drainage basins: the Columbia, the Colorado, or the Mississippi.
The piece develops musical themes representing each river, first individually, and then with the themes presented simultaneously. The Columbia River section begins at measure 11, the Mississippi River section at measure 36, and the Colorado River section at measure 57. The final section begins at measure 99 and presents each theme added to one another until all themes are present.