OPINION: 'Don’t blame the river. One hundred years ago, we invented a set of rules for a river that never behaved as we hoped it would. We can do better, but only if we get to work on it right…
The Colorado River Compact is 100 years old. A University of Arizona conference and the upcoming Colorado River Water Users Association will mark the anniversary. But there’s no reason to celebrate. Twenty-two years into a drought and with reservoirs at all-time lows, the federal government may soon intervene in the states’ management of the river.We need a new system that manages with the river and provides all users with fair shares.
Moreover, none of the rules set aside any water for tribes or for ecosystems: Mistakes three and four. The warming climate is also decreasing the Colorado’s flow. Scientists’ concerns about the effects of warming have been issued at least since 1993. A warmer climate triggers more evaporation, increases water use by vegetation, depletes soil moisture and reduces runoff to the river.
Our knowledge has improved, and our values have changed. It’s time for a new century of enlightened river management. We need to manage with the river, rather than expecting the river to obey our faulty rules.
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