Sprawl and the Colorado River
... However, the Colorado River is not such a good example along most segments of its course. ... The rugged terrain and entrenched river channels are the major reasons for sparse human settlement. We ask ourselves, did the Colorado River help or hinder settlement in the Western United States? ... Although the Colorado River drainage system was still not integrated. ... The terrain of the Colorado River is very unique. ... Wet Upper Slopes: Consist of numerous streams that feed into the Colorado River from stream cut canyons, small flat floored valleys often occupied by alpine lakes and adjacent steep walled mountain peaks. ... It consists of river valleys with adequate flat land to support farms and ranches. ... Deep Canyon lands: Definitely the most spectacular and least developed area along the Colorado River. ... Early settlement was limited because most of the land next to the river was not well suited for irrigation agriculture. ... The Colorado River was first navigated by John Wesley Powell, in his 1869 exploration through the Marble and Grand Canyons. The Colorado River begins high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. ... Unlike other rivers, the Colorado River doesnt meet the ocean in a grand way, but rather in a small trickle. Almost all of the water that passes down the river is spoken for. It passes through seven Western States, travels 1,700 miles, and descends more than 14,000 feet before emptying into the sea, with more silt and salinity than any river in North America. A river not used for commerce or any degree of navigation other than recreational, and virtually ignored until the turn of the century, The Colorado River is the most fought over, litigated, and legislated River in the United States. The upper Colorado passes through mountainous, less populated country. It has seen fewer problems that the lower Colorado. The lower Colorado, which passes through canyons and arid desert, serves a more populated area. ... The first project on the Colorado River was the Alamo River Project near Yuma, Arizona. Sediment from the upper river was transported and deposited down river. It raised the river bed so the river was higher than the surrounding land, making water easy to divert for irrigation.