A Dry Future?

On Friday I interviewed local author Jonathan Waterman about his new book, "Running Dry." He says it's a public awareness campaign about how the river is being overused and will eventually fail to sustain the 30 million people who rely on it. Waterman ran the river from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park to the Mexican Delta, where he had to walk because the river dried up before it reached the sea. He says if things don't change, there could be a 10% percent reduction in water by 2050. That would likely impact cities like Denver, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

From the beginning of his book, there is adventure. He and a few colleagues start by snowshoeing up to 9000 feet where they use a pack raft to start the journey. He flips his boat a few times along the way and loses a paddle at one point. Throughout his travels, he talks to ranchers, farmers and other water users about what the River means to them.

The Colorado River and its tributaries run through seven states and Mexico. It feeds 3 million acres of farmlands along the way and supports over 100 dams. You can listen to a news story about the book and Waterman at www.aspenpublicradio.org.