The Colorado River is going to be LOW this year. According to today's news reports, Southwest Colorado had its lowest recorded precipitation this year. The mountains upstream of Glen Canyon Dam received lower than normal snowpack, and that snow melted earlier than usual. It is possible that southwest states will have to take water cutbacks in future years. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before we plugged up river with dams, there used to be times that very low flows passed through Grand Canyon, which allowed people to travel across the river for intertribal gatherings. There were also ecological benefits to these low flows: warm slow waters allowed some species to migrate and spawn, sand would settle into giant beaches, and plants would germinate and have time to grow strong. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, now the Colorado River is a plumbing system. We look at low flows and fear for the future of our cities. We worry how water will move through Glen Canyon Dam if the lake level falls below the intakes. We discuss contracts and agreements, instead of stepping back and thinking of the river as a wild living system. The river will do what it wants regardless of our intentions. It is us who need to bend. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Mother Nature always bats last" - Robert K. Watson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #protectgrandcanyon #ColoradoRiver #restoreGlenCanyon #naturequotes #damndam #waterislife #GrandCanyon #GrandCanyonNationalPark #water #river #climatechange (at Grand Canyon National Park)
