Sumario: | The Colorado River is a vital resource to urban and agricultural communities across the Southwest, providing water to 30 million people. This book tells the river's story - a story of conquest, control, division, and depletion. Beginning in prehistory and continuing into the present, this book focuses on three important and often overlooked aspects of the river's use: the role of western water law in its over-allocation, the complexity of power relationships surrounding the river, and the concept of sustainable use and how it has been either ignored or applied in the twenty-first century. It is organized in two parts: the first addresses the chronological history of the river and long-term issues, while the second examines in more detail four specific topics - metropolitan perceptions, American Indian water rights, US-Mexico relations over the river, and water marketing issues. Creating a complete picture of the evolution of this crucial yet over-utilized resource, this book will fascinate readers interested in the Colorado River or the environmental history of the Southwest.
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