Aerial view of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
Pete McBride

Colorado River Drought

The Colorado River is drying up. We’re doing everything we can to sustain the river and its communities.

As snowpacks shrink, temperatures rise, and less water flows into the Colorado River, we’re facing a historic mega-drought that’s worsening with climate change.

We’re working to ensure that the Colorado River continues flowing through the Grand Canyon in this hotter, drier future and that its water reaches the people, crops, wildlife, and landscapes that depend on it.

The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the Southwest

People rely on the Colorado River
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Tribes call the Colorado River Basin home
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Acres of farmland use Colorado River water
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Drought makes the Colorado River work harder

The Colorado River flows almost 1,500 miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico. Nearly every drop is piped to desert cities and sucked dry by thirsty crops before it reaches the sea.

Closeup of lettuce leaves
Chris Jepsen, Flickr

Agriculture

75% of Colorado River water is used to grow crops like alfalfa, cotton, and lettuce.

Phoenix skyline with palm trees in the foreground
Trevor Huxham, Flickr

Cities

The Colorado River supplies water to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and other cities.

The prow of a Grand Canyon dory in the muddy water of the Colorado River
Tim D. Peterson

Economies

The Colorado River is an economic engine for WY, CO, UT, NM, AZ, NV, and CA.

Pictographs of animals near Lake Powell
Amy s. Martin

Tribes

22 tribes have formal water rights, and 12 tribes have unresolved claims.

The West faces tough decisions about how it uses or saves water

Demand already outpaces supply in the Colorado River Basin, and deepening drought will diminish flows even more.

of the Colorado River could dry up by 2050
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of the Colorado River could dry up by 2100
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Addressing drought in the Colorado River Basin

There’s not enough water to go around. We’re advocating for new rules that ensure the river’s long-term health in the face of drought.

Read about the new rules

Cracked dirt on the shoreline of a shrinking Lake Powell
James Kay

Glen Canyon Dam, the gateway to the Grand Canyon

Snowmelt from the mountains drains into Lake Powell, where it is stored until water managers carefully release flows through Glen Canyon Dam into the Grand Canyon.

How does Glen Canyon Dam work?

Lake Powell with a visible bathtub ring on the rocks
Shane McDermott

Water storage

Lake Powell backs up behind Glen Canyon Dam. The reservoir helps manage floodwaters and stores water for cities and states downstream.

The penstocks at the bottom of Glen Canyon Dam, where water from Lake Powell is released into the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon
Amy S. Martin

Hydropower

Water sent through Glen Canyon dam generates electricity that powers air conditioners and lights up cities across the West.

Looking up at the Glen Canyon Dam from the Colorado River
Amy S. Martin

Fixing Glen Canyon Dam’s plumbing problems

We need to modify Glen Canyon Dam’s aging infrastructure to ensure the Colorado River can flow through it at low water levels.

Find out how

Nature needs water too

Bighorn sheep, cacti, canyon wrens, and many other critters rely on the Colorado River. We’re working to make sure plants and animals that call the Grand Canyon home can thrive.

Learn about endangered and rare species in Grand Canyon National Park

Two native humpback chub huddle close together in clear water in the Little Colorado River

Native fish of the Grand Canyon

Eight fish are native to the Grand Canyon. Can you name them?

A yellow primrose with Deer Creek Falls in the Grand Canyon in the background

Grand Canyon wildflowers

Wildflowers grow in the desert too. See the Grand Canyon’s bright blooms

The Colorado River is an economic engine for the region. Each year, it generates:

 

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In recreational spending
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Jobs across the West
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Jen Pelz touches the water on the shore of the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam.
Amy S. Martin

“The Colorado River is at its tipping point.

We must act now to protect the artery of the Southwest for future generations.”

Jen Pelz

Grand Canyon Trust Water Director

Stories from the Colorado River

Get the latest water news on the blog
Muddy Colorado River with golden cliffs all around.
How does Colorado River water get divvied out to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Wyoming, Native American tribes, and Mexico?
View of the Grand Canyon from the Colorado River
Tim Peterson
 

Help protect the Colorado River for future generations

The future of the Colorado River is in your hands. Help protect it with a gift today.

Give to the Trust