Natural, Cultural, & Environmental Resource Values Influencing Colorado River Basin Management

by Marshall Flug, Natl Park Service, Fort Collins, United States,
William L. Jackson, Natl Park Service, Fort Collins, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Management in the '90s: A Time for Innovation

Abstract:

The Colorado River Basin supplies water to the seven western states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and California, and to Mexico. Originally the Colorado River was developed to help settle the semiarid lands in the west by means of irrigation. Other uses soon evolved for power generation, flood control, domestic and industrial supply, recreation, and fish and wildlife protection. Several large dams and reservoirs can store four times the natural flow of 18.5 Gm³ per year. The Federal Government owns over half the lands within the Basin. Management agencies include the National Park, and Fish & Wildlife Services, and the Bureaus of Indian Affairs, Land Management, and Reclamation. Since 1991, agencies are cooperating to understand and manage multiple purposes that include protection of natural, cultural, recreational, and environmental resources, and endangered species for the enjoyment and use by future generations.

Subject Headings: Rivers and streams | Water resources | Basins | Water management | Fish and fishery management | Water-based recreation | Resource management | Colorado River | United States | Wyoming | Colorado | Utah | Arizona | New Mexico | Nevada

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