| The Colorado River
The Colorado River system supplies water
to Mexico and seven western states — Arizona, California,
Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
In Southern Nevada, about 88 percent of the water
used in the Las Vegas Valley comes from the Colorado River, which pools
behind Hoover Dam to create Lake
Mead—the country's largest man-made lake.
| Learn more about
the Colorado River basin by clicking on the "play" button. |
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Law of the River
In the 1800s, states diverted water from the Colorado
River and its tributaries without restrictions. As the diversions increased,
a long battle over apportionment evolved.
In 1922, the Colorado River Compact, also known as the
Law of the River, was created. The compact stated that the river would
be divided among the seven western states to serve their populations.
In 1944, the compact came to include an allotment designated for Mexico.
Today, the Colorado River is probably the most controlled, controversial
and litigated river in the world.
The River's Flow - Too Low
When the compact was created, the flow of
the river was expected to be at least 17
million
acre-feet per year, but today's records indicate an average flow of
15 million acre-feet. Consequently, the water
allotted to the seven states and Mexico exceeds the flow of the river
in most years, but there is little support to renegotiate the compact.
A new agreement would require approval from each state's legislature and
the U.S. Congress.
| Length of the River: |
Approximately 1,400 miles |
| Upper Basin States: |
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming |
| Lower Basin States: |
Arizona, California and Nevada |
| Population Served: |
Approximately 25 million |
| Avg. Rainfall in Basin: |
14 inches annually |
| Avg. Annual Flow: |
15 million acre-feet |
| Annual Flow Range: |
5 million acre-feet to up to 24 million
acre-feet of water each year |
| Water Source: |
Snow melt in the Rocky Mountains is the primary source
of water |
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