Colorado River
The Colorado River began carving the Grand Canyon over five million years ago. Some guesswork still surrounds the exact pathway of the original river(s), but it is clear that once it began carving it’s path, it did so at an intense pace. The dramatic drop in elevation over its course means the Colorado is one of the most powerful rivers in the world and there is little wonder over how it sliced such an impressive gash into Arizona’s landscape.
Because the surrounding areas are made up of sediment rock, the land stood no chance against the forceful waters of the Colorado. The river ate away huge chunks of earth and rock every year carrying tons of sediment along with it. The original river, prior to the creation of dams, was red with sediment, undrinkable, unusable, and unable to support plant or animal life at its shore. Its volume and temperature varied dramatically each season creating an inhospitable environment that a select number of fish and plant species adapted to creating an ecosystem perfectly suited to the Colorado River and the Colorado River only.
Today those species have lost their habitat and many have become extinct. Many others are at the brink of extinction. Conversely, thanks to the evening of the flow of water and the new clarity and temperature created by the dams, many new species have begun to flourish. The river has created plant life along its shores attracting many animals who are now also able to use it as a water source. The loss of one habitat has created another, rich in different ways than the original, but still rich.
Each year hundreds of people a year navigate the Grand Canyon portion of the Colorado River. It’s a relaxing, fun and often exhilarating adventure but rarely life threatening. That didn’t always hold true. Without the regulation of water flow, the Colorado was a river that claimed lives. Native American tribes held a healthy respect for its power and warned settlers away from trying to run it. Some listened, others did not and often died along the way.
The industrialization of the Colorado River began over 200 years ago in the early 1800’s, although with limited success. It was clear, however, what a resource was had in the river’s strength and volume. Channels cut in the early 20th century diverted water to dry land creating agricultural possibilities where none existed previously. But the water flow was too strong to contain it and the experiment failed. What didn’t fail was the next attempt to harness the river, the creation of the Hoover Dam. The dam regulated water flow and harnessed the power of the river, but it also changed the river and the canyon forever. Its success spurned other projects and today the Colorado is well overtaxed by the ever-increasing demands of modern society. Rising sediment in Lake Powell and Lake Mead will be problems that need to be addressed in coming years as will solutions for growing populations needing more energy than the dams can support.
Still, it is a dramatic and beautiful part of the Western landscape. The Grand Canyon’s 277 unhindered miles provide a haven for plants, animals and spectators needing the resources and beauty it provides. Those that travel its length are rewarded with unique and breathtaking views of one of Mother Nature’s most awesome creations.