Water Resources Engineer Colorado River Board of California
The development of the Colorado River is intricately tied to the development of California and, conversely, the development of California has depended substantially on diversions from the Colorado River. At the critical juncture currently faced by Colorado River managers and users, with increased signs of persistent aridification of the Southwest and historically low reservoir levels that threaten their intended purpose, this talk takes a step back to look at the historical trajectory of Colorado River water use and development both within California and from the perspective of California. The history presented spans three eras: before 1922, when the Colorado River Compact, the foundational agreement that governs Colorado River water management today, was signed; 1922 through 2002, an era of development and seemingly plenty; and 2003 to the present, a period of successive agreements to reduce basin-wide water within the established legal regime. This historical trajectory is described in the context of broader development in both the western United States generally and California specifically, U.S.-Mexico water sharing, tribal rights and uses, and uses across agricultural, municipal, energy, and environmental sectors.
