Living in America's desert southwest is not easy. Yet, humans have been doing it for at least 9,000 years, starting when the Cochise people settled in present-day Arizona and New Mexico. European settlers followed — mainly Mormons, farmers, and prospectors seeking gold – eventually leading to the rapid colonization of the Southwest. And none of this would have been possible without the Colorado River and its many tributaries. Why? Because people need constant access to water to survive.
In 1922, citizens from the seven states most reliant on the river — Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and California — met to discuss how the seemingly endless water supply would be shared. This agreement, known as the Colorado River Compact, determined the percentage of the river's water that each state — and later parts of northwestern Mexico — were entitled to. In the end, California received the biggest percentage of the river's annual output, with the remaining water divided among the six other states and Mexico.
But, of course, if the river dried up, all of these allotments would go to zero. As of 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has already cut back water usage amid the river's dwindling supply, and more restrictions will likely be imposed. This is problematic, as the river provides municipal water to several major cities, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, San Diego, and Denver. All told, around 40 million people would be left high and dry.
