The Challenge
Water scarcity will threaten the health of the river and the wildlife that depend on it.
The future of the Colorado River is at risk because demand for the water is already exceeding its supply. This is a big problem that needs to be addressed now to ensure that cities, businesses, families and farmers have enough water, and to ensure the health of the river itself.
If we do not address the problem, the Colorado River cannot continue to support the more than 33 million people who depend on it.
The Solution
The tools of the last century aren’t up to the task of addressing this 21st Century challenge. What we need is a balanced and flexible plan with practical solutions that reflect the reality we collectively face.
The best solutions to this challenge emphasize conservation, which is cheaper, faster and easier to implement than costly, wasteful new pipelines or impractical, energy-guzzling systems to turn salt water into drinking water.
Conservation is the practical, flexible, common-sense option. It relies on market-oriented solutions, such as water banking, in which water users are compensated to save water and these savings are dedicated for later use when the need is greater. These approaches will ensure we have the water we need for a thriving economy and prosperous communities, and also protect the river and the ecosystems, wildlife and businesses it supports.
Our Goal
Learn more about our efforts to restore healthy
flows to the Colorado River Basin.
Our goal is to create realistic solutions that will restore balance to the way we use the Colorado River, preserving this vital resource and national treasure for our children and grandchildren.
Supporting Organizations
Western Resource Advocates
The Nature Conservancy
Protect the Flows
Nuestro Rio
Environmental Defense Fund