Starting at the Top for a Living Colorado River

Rocky Mountain Headwaters

The Colorado River connects vast swathes of the American West, from the snow-capped mountains of Colorado through farms, cities, and the desert canyons of Arizona; from Rocky Mountain National Park to the Sea of Cortez. The fate of the West hinges on the future of this critical artery of life.

The Colorado River is in crisis. Impending water shortages leave Arizona farmers marooned and record-low reservoir levels threaten to dim the lights of Las Vegas. But lost in the conversation is the river itself – an iconic waterway and lifeline of the American West. Forgotten are the fish and wildlife that depend on clean water and healthy flows. Through our Rocky Mountain Headwaters Initiative, WildEarth Guardians elevates the river’s own voice and the voices of all those who call the Colorado River home.

The benefits of clean water, healthy flows, and resilient communities flow downhill. Guardians envisions free-flowing, living rivers from their headwaters to the sea, and we are starting with the headwaters of the iconic Colorado River. We are working to stop new or expanded dams and trans-basin diversions from the Colorado River, prevent new sources of pollution from entering these rivers from mining or other polluting activities, and promote policies and practices to use water more efficiently in agriculture and other industries.

Protecting the Headwaters