Covering over 70 percent of Earth’s surface, water defines our world; from shaping its surface and fostering the evolution of life to underpinning the processes within living cells. Fresh water in particular is a precious resource that has supported our livelihoods in untold ways, from nourishing us to inspiring many of our arts. Access to fresh water has driven the emergence of societies, and lack of it has crippled others.
The dominant hydrological force in the American Southwest, the Colorado River cuts a wide swath through not only vast deserts and arid plains, but also the lives of many people and species. This freshwater ecosystem is in high demand: every drop of water has been allocated for a specific purpose, from sustaining the river’s biota, to watering agricultural fields, to filling the massive reservoirs that facilitate the growth of the West. Yet the challenges of pollution, fluctuating water supplies, climate change, population growth, and consumption are stressing freshwater resources around the world, including the Colorado River.
As with many managed freshwater ecosystems across the world, the complex question arises: what is the best way to balance the health of freshwater ecosystems, maintenance of ecosystem services, and the needs of a diverse cross-section of stakeholders? This exercise illustrates the complex tradeoffs involved in managing water resources and the necessity of sound water management.
This simulation-based exercise is an educational tool that allows users to:
The exercise allows:
The simulation exercise has three main parts:
Interactive Simulation: Simulation concept by Niklas Christensen and Kevin Wheeler.
Exercise: Erin Vintinner, Brian Weeks, Genia Naro-Maciel, Ana Luz Porzecanski, Eleanor Sterling.
Expert consultations: James Booker, Nora Bynum, Russell Callejo, Niklas Christensen, Michael Cohen, Peter Ersts, Karl Flessa, Terry Fulp, Jeanine Jones, Eric Kuhn, Steven Phillips, Jennifer Pitt, Roger Pulwarty, Richard Seager, Eleanor Sterling, Brad Udall, Kevin Wheeler, Connie Woodhouse, Nan Yoder, Francisco Zamora.
Editorial assistance: Peter Ersts, Francisco Laso, Ana Luz Porzecanski, Kimberley Roosenburg, Brian Weeks.
Adapted for the Web by Peter Ersts.
Explore the Colorado River as it winds through the landscape, cascading down mountains, carving colossal canyons, and nourishing habitats and learn about laws and treaties that govern its use.
Go To UnitExplore how we develop the inflows to the model using historical flows and the assumptions we make about the future.
Go To UnitExplore how changes in temperature and precipitation will change the amount of water that is available for water users and the environment.
Go To UnitExplore what the economic benefits are to the various water users and how those benefits might change under different water distribution scenarios.
Go To UnitExplore how water management has changed the amount of water available for various native species and what is needed to keep these species alive.
Go To UnitExplore how much water can be conserved by changing water use practices and who benefits from these savings.
Go To Unit