Shaping Perceptions Through Recreation

 

Courtesy Western River Expeditions

Sky-high canyon walls, raging whitewater rapids, serene fishing spots, and myriad other scenes of natural beauty draw tens-of-millions of people to the Colorado River, according to SaveTheColorado.org.  Whether they are citizens of the Western US or others traveling to the region through the increasing popularity of ecotourism, these visitors enjoy a multitude of recreational activities in an around the Colorado River.  They fish, swim, and boat in the Colorado's waters. They hike, hunt, picnic, and bird-watch from its shores.  In essence, they shape their perceptions of this unique region through their recreational experiences.

Courtesy Sunset Cities

The industry generated by this tourism is far from inconsequential. A recently released study by Protect the Flows, an organization of over 500 businesses throughout the seven Basin states, estimates that the Colorado River creates approximately $26 billion in economic output per year, $9.6 billion of which is produced in Colorado alone.  Furthermore, nearly a quarter million jobs are supported by the Colorado River.  Protect the Flows claims, "if the Colorado River were a company... [it] would be the 19th largest employer in the Fortune 500."  For many of the people employed in these positions, working on or near the river is more than a job:  it's a way of life.


However, the annual flow of the Colorado is decreasing.  While the river's flow was thought to be as high as 18maf (million acre-feet) during the years preceding creation of the Colorado River Compact, a seminal document which began the process of allotting the Colorado River, its annual flows have been significantly less since.  In fact from 2000-2010, the average annual flow was under 14maf.  According to the US Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study, stored water has dropped 35% in the last twelve years, and demand is outweighing supply.  The below graph demonstrates both the average flow and the consequent reduction in water storage in lakes Powell and Mead from 1980-2010.

Courtesy of EDF's On the Waterfront blog

This shortage not only poses a threat to the thirty-six million people that depend on the river for domestic water supply and the farmers who use river water to irrigate four million acres of land (producing 15% of the nation's crops), but to also to those individuals and businesses who benefit from the diverse recreation activities listed above.  If recreators lose the opportunity to experience the Colorado River firsthand, their perceptions about the river's importance may be significantly altered.

Screenshot of Down the Colorado's Interactive Map

Zachary Podmore is dedicated to investigating exactly these sorts of issues.  Podmore is a Colorado native and environmental journalist currently blogging about the Down the Colorado Expedition.  This exciting project entails a two month journey down the Colorado River, where adventurers will interview a variety of stakeholder in hopes of creating a "robust geographical overview of [the] Colorado River basin."  They will return with photos, videos, water quality data, and a wealth of information from people who interact with the river in a variety of ways.

Podmore's recent piece entitled "Do Healthy Rivers Make a Stronger Economy?" (published by the Huffington Post on 10/12/12), contemplates whether the "pro-economy" mentality that can lead to activities such as increased drilling and river diversions really translates to the idea that "anything that's going to protect our state's natural resources is going to kill our jobs and hurt our wallets."  He understands that these issues are especially prevalent now--right before the next presidential election in November--and hopes that politicians and lawmakers will recognize the incredible economy stemming from the "recreational opportunities the mountains and rivers have to offer as intact mountains and rivers" (emphasis mine).

Ideally, when the importance of the Colorado River's economy is recognized, considerations for maintaining a "healthy" river will rise on the agenda.  As a result, recreators from around the world can continue to experience the beauty and grandeur of the river, which will hopefully inform their perceptions of its value and fragility as a natural resource.  While all recreational activities are not created equal, especially from an environmental management perspective, supporting the continued existence of these opportunities seems to be a step in the right direction.