The Colorado River Basin is an environmental treasure that is an increasingly fragile system due to complex and
diverse pressures. Human needs have historically taken precedence over environmental concerns when managing water
and other natural resources. Natural organisms do not follow
poli...
Environment and Ecology of the
Colorado River Basin
By Natalie Triedman
ey Findings:
Human needs have historically taken precedence over environmental concerns when man
ging Colorado River water and other natural resources.
The diversity of local habitats and the demand for unique management approaches com
icates how we manage environmental concerns on the Colorado.
The riparian zone is deteriorating, which is negatively impacting native plant and animal
ecies that rely on this unique habitat.
To this day, no specific water quantity on the main stem of the Colorado River is designat
d for environmental needs. The threat of endangered species and degraded water quality
e both amplified by the fact that we do not allocate a significant quantity of water exclu
vely for environmental needs.
The 2012 Colorado College State of the Rockies Report Card
The Colorado River Basin:
Agenda for Use, Restoration, and Sustainability for the Next Generation
ut the Author:
alie Triedman (Colorado College class of ‘12) is a 2011-12 Student Researcher for the State of the Rockies Project.
Brendan Boepple
,The 2012 State of the Rockies Report Card Environment and Ecology 89
“Ultimately, the condition of our forests, and the ability of these forests to respond to climate
change, disease, development, and wild fires will help to shape the future of the Colorado River,
and its role as the lifeblood of the arid Southwest...Our ability to protect this incredible green infra-
structure is every bit as important as our ability to build dams, canals, waste treatment plants, and
other bricks-and-mortar type of solutions.”
-Harris Sherman, the Undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment
for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, speaking at the Colorado College, on
February 6th, 2012 as part of the State of the Rockies Project Speakers Series
Introduction quality are both amplified by the fact that we do not allocate a
The Colorado River Basin is an environmental significant quantity of water exclusively for environmental
treasure that is an increasingly fragile system due to complex needs. For many decades water quantity along the river has
and diverse pressures. Human needs have historically taken been determined by legal mechanisms, which have
precedence over environmental concerns when managing consistently prioritized human needs over natural
water and other natural resources. Natural organisms do not requirements. Dams are one example of a policy intervention
follow political boundaries, so laws and other policy actions that causes myriad changes that upset the natural habitat
are not always aligned with the specific needs of plants, along the river; by regulating the quantity of flows, dams
animals, and water. The diversity of local habitats and the threaten water quality and native species. Dams and
demand for unique management approaches also complicates diversions cause a reduction of downstream flows on the
how we manage such environmental concerns. Colorado River, transforming riparian habitats that are
How do we assess the health of the Colorado River essential for plant and animal development. Dams also trap
Basin? Biodiversity, water quality, and water quantity are key sediment and nutrients essential to downstream ecology and
indicators of a river system’s health.1 The zone adjacent to a release water that is colder than waters upstream. Deprived of
river, called the riparian zone, is critical for river health and adequate flows and water quality, species are then faced with
biodiversity. The good news is that the banks lining the the challenge of quickly adapting to a new habitat, and some
Colorado foster impressive ecological diversity, supporting do not survive.
65% of the species in the West, even though it comprises a The Colorado River Basin is threatened. To this day,
mere 5% of actual land area.2 The concern is that the riparian no specific water quantity on the main stem of the Colorado
zone is deteriorating, which is negatively impacting the plants River is designated for environmental needs. Environmental
and animals that rely on this unique habitat. Equally issues, such as water quantity and quality, are also linked to
concerning, as populations of some plant and animal species important economic and social issues. By taking initiative to
decline, are the implications of why these populations are create a healthy river ecosystem, we will be addressing
being threatened. Species declines are indicators that we human needs in this expansive region as well. We are all
should not ignore because they tell a story about the
deteriorating environmental conditions that may affect other
species.
It is easy to overlook these environmental threats
considering the ecological beauty throughout the Colorado
River Basin, which includes some spectacular natural
wonders ranging from the Rocky Mountain National Park to
the Grand Canyon. People who live and visit the region may
be
deceived by the array of colorful flora and impressive
wildlife, potentially obscuring environmental threats not
apparent to the casual observer. Not only are a number of
species at risk rising and the natural habitat becoming
degraded, but the quality of water is also threatened. The
factors affecting water quality along the 1,450 miles of the
river are varied and cause many different types of
complications for species and the environment. Primary
among these water quality issues are salinity, sediment, and
metals.
The threat of endangered species and degraded water
, stakeholders, and the stakes are high. Figure 1: Image of a Riparian Environment
Natalie Triedman
The Colorado River Basin is an impressive land
scape replete with diverse flora and fauna that draws millions
of tourists to the region every year. However, assessing the
region with too broad a brush can obscure the reality of
numerous environmental threats. Development projects have
altered natural processes related to the hydrology, ecology,
and climate of the basin, which has interfered with ecological
stability and contributed to population declines among many
different plant and animal species. The specific
environmental impacts vary with each eco-region in the basin,
challenging
Brendan Boepple conservation groups and environmental lawyers to create
Ecology of the Basin: Diversity in Geography flexible management strategies that consider the diversity of
The 242,000 square miles of the Colorado River habitats. This diversity is seen as one that follows the course
extend across many different eco-regions with distinct of the river through the basin from its source high in the
environmental profiles. Despite the variation in climate, Rockies to the Colorado River Delta.
hydrology and ecology, these diverse habitats are united by
the fact that they all rely on a healthy riparian environment- Ecological Overview of the Basin from Source to Sea
the transition zone between land and river, as seen in Figure From the snowcapped Rocky Mountains to the dry
1.3 As natural buffer zones, riparian areas support flora and delta where the river no longer reaches the sea, the Colorado
fauna native to both upland and wetland habitats.4 This River flows 1,450 miles through seven U.S. states and areas
explains why the riparian environment throughout the in northern Mexico.8 It encompasses a range of habitats, each
Colorado River Basin is home to a high percentage of plants with unique ecological profiles and threats that are specific to
and wildlife, despite the small percentage of land that that region. Thus, it is impossible to summarize the biological
actually comprises the riparian makeup of the basin as a whole. It is helpful to have an
zone.5 The powerful and erratic river flows that are overview of this diversity as a context for understanding the
characteristic of riparian environments also contribute to the environmental challenges in more detail. The Colorado
health and diversity of the ecosystem by transporting River starts at the headwaters on the continental divide, the
nutrients and sediment during flood events.6 Plants and geological boundary separating the
animals in the Colorado River Basin are dependent on this Atlantic and Pacific watersheds. At an elevation of over
resource-rich buffer zone, which is becoming increasingly 10,000 feet, the river flows down La Poudre Pass and through
threatened by dams and diversions, invasive species, the Rocky Mountains as it is fed by melting snowpack that
pollution, and water depletion.7 contributes 85% of the river’s water.9 Flora and fauna native
to this section of the Colorado River have adapted to the
variability and intensity of the high elevation weather
patterns, as well as the rugged topography characteristic of
the steepest habitat in the United States.10 In spite of more
than 3.1 million visitors annually to Rocky Mountain
National Park, water quality is adequate to support the growth
and survival of plants and wildlife.11 Alpine plants, such as
90 Environment and Ecology The 2012 State of the Rockies Report Card
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