“And
what a world of grandeur is spread before us!Below is the canyon through which the Colorado runs.We are ready to start our way down the great unknown.. and
the great river shrinks into insignificance as it dashes its angry
waves against the walls and cliffs that rise to the world
above...”
The words of John Wesley Powell describe the awesome power and
beauty of the Colorado River as it enters into what is now the Grand
Canyon. Today we know what lies behind every turn and, contrary to
Powell, we know that this is not the gateway to hell, but to
paradise. Supplied by seven tributaries, the Colorado was once a powerful river.
But in a dry desert the battle for water is fierce, every drop is
used over and over again. Canals, pumps, dams, and hydropower plants
built along the river make it one of the most exploited rivers in
the world. Canyonlands, that Powell describe with incredible
reverence, have now been drowned in a reservoir, ironically named
after him. Venetian type cities, desert golf courses, and a
population far exceeding the limits of the water supply deplete the
river. But the biggest culprit is, by far, desert agriculture. By
the time it reaches the Delta in Mexico the once mighty river has
been reduced to a mere trickle. The lush green Delta has been
transformed into salty mudflats, and the Sea of Cortez, that once
bubbled with life, is now nearly barren and eerily calm.