The river that built the American West has run out of time. But the resourcefulness that built the American West is far from running dry. This report examines the biggest challenges to the Colorado River Basin, based on interviews with subject matter experts, reviews of scientific and news articles, and data provided by the Water Resilience Coalition. It also addresses the most promising strategies to mitigate them. Drawing on recent research and insights about ecology, water management and technology, it looks past the zerosum game of fighting over water allocations, and zeroes in on the emerging methods to keep the river running, together.
A new Morning Consult poll commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation finds that Americans across the Colorado River Basin are deeply concerned about the impacts of drought and strongly support action to protect the region's water future. Nearly 9 in 10 voters are concerned about risks including wildfires, threats to clean drinking water and declining water levels in the Colorado River. Most also say addressing these challenges is an important personal priority and believe federal and state leaders should make water security a priority this year.
A Morning Consult poll for the Walton Family Foundation finds that the vast majority of Arizonans are concerned about future groundwater and Colorado River water supplies. They support dedicated funding for resilience and conservation projects. More than 91% are concerned about the Colorado River’s ability to continue providing needed water supplies to Arizona, the survey found.
Maintaining a healthy Colorado River is essential to ensuring clean and reliable water supplies in the West and protecting critical ecosystems. But for decades, we have taken more water from the river than it can afford to give. This report outlines examples of nature-based solutions and conservation projects that can help us better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate change impacts.
Collaborative conservation brings diverse stakeholders together to sustain healthy landscapes and strengthen communities. Organizations fostering collaborative conservation depend on philanthropy to advance collaborative conservation, while philanthropic organizations depend on these organizations to advance their missions. Both face challenges engaging with each other as they work toward shared goals, yet open dialogue about how funders and practitioners work together is rare.
