Alternative management paradigms for the future of the Colorado and Green Rivers

Abstract

The Colorado River is among the most extensively managed river systems in the world. The river’s headwaters are within the Rocky Mountains in the United States. From there, it flows through the arid lands of the Colorado Plateau and the Basin-and-Range to its delta in northwestern Mexico. Here, the river is the only significant water supply in an otherwise starkly arid landscape and has long been called “America’s Nile.” It provides a critical water supply for nearly four million acres of irrigated land, municipal supplies for 30 million people located within and outside the basin, and more than 4,200 MW of hydropower generation capacity. The Colorado River and some of its tributaries also provide an existing or potential water supply for at least 15 Native American tribes. The river flows through seven National Wildlife Refuges, four National Recreation Areas, and five National Parks.

Citation

Wheeler, Kevin; Kuhn, Eric; Bruckerhoff, Lindsey; Udall, Brad; Wang, Jian; Gilbert, Lael; Goeking, Sara; Kasprak, Alan; Mihalevich, Bryce; Neilson, Bethany; Salehabadi, Homa; Schmidt, John C. 2021. Alternative management paradigms for the future of the Colorado and Green Rivers. The Future of the Colorado River Project, White Paper No. 6. Logan, UT: Utah State University, Quinney College of Natural Resources Center for Colorado River Studies. 132 p.