Last Chance to Register for Next Week’s Lower Colorado River Tour
Learn about the iconic river directly from experts during this engaging virtual journey May 20
Only one week remains to register
for our May 20 virtual Lower Colorado
River Tour where you can hear directly from experts
offering a range of perspectives on the most contested and
meticulously managed river in the United States. Practically
every drop of water in the Colorado River is already
allocated, but pressure on the hard-working river continues to
grow from myriad sources — increasing population, declining
habitat and climate change.
The 1,450-mile Colorado
River is a lifeline to 40 million people in the
Southwest across seven states and Mexico, but a 20-plus year
drought in the basin has significantly dropped water levels in
Lake Mead and Lake Powell — the river’s largest reservoirs.
This once-a-year tour will focus on how the Lower Basin states of California, Nevada and Arizona are using and managing the river’s water in that unprecedented context.
The three-hour online event will include:
- An overview presentation on the Lower Colorado River Basin to provide critical background on the region, including a series of legal documents collectively known as the ‘Law of the River.’
- A guided video tour of key water management infrastructure, agricultural regions and environmental restoration sites along the Lower Colorado River to provide a stronger understanding of a variety of water supply issues.
- Live Q&A in chat rooms where participants can dive deeper into the topics directly with leading Lower Colorado River experts.
Among the experts featured are
farmers, tribal representatives and managers from the
following organizations who will discuss drought
impacts, changes in water allocation rules, habitat
projects, farming and restoration efforts at the Salton Sea:
- Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Basin
- Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Central Arizona Project
- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Palo Verde Irrigation District
- Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe
- Imperial Irrigation District
- Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Salton Sea Authority
- Coachella Valley Water District
The guided video tour features a
variety of stops covering a stretch of the Colorado River from
Hoover Dam and its reservoir Lake Mead, down to the U.S./Mexico
border and up to the Salton Sea. Along the way you’ll get a
glimpse of California’s first Salton Sea pilot restoration
project, now under construction and aimed at creating habitat for
birds so the shrinking sea can remain as a key stopover for
migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway.
Plus, tour participants will receive a copy of our Layperson’s Guide to the Colorado River and be entered into a drawing to win one of the Foundation’s beautiful water maps!
Don’t miss the Foundation’s
once-a-year opportunity to learn about the Colorado River! A
limited amount of scholarship funding is available to pay for a
portion of the event. Learn more and
find registration details
here, and contact Programs Director Nick
Gray with any questions
via email.