The numbers are impressive: 25
million people depend on the Colorado River, which falls 14,000
feet in its 1,700-mile journey, and is home to 20 power plants, 10
major dams and 80 diversion channels. Over the past year, the
humanities councils of seven Western states have worked together on
Moving Waters: The Colorado River and the West, a series of
hundreds of programs intended to teach the public about the history
and impact of the river. Now, the Moving Waters Culminating
Conference takes a look at the post-settlement history of the
Colorado River Basin, from John Wesley Powell to the Big Buildup
and the challenges Westerners face today. Speakers include Gary
Nabhan, Michael Collier and William DeBuys; among the special
events are a musical tribute to Katie Lee and a tour of Glen Canyon
Dam.
The four-day Culminating Conference will
take place in Flagstaff, Ariz., Sept. 25-28. For more information,
call 928/523-0494 or visit
www.movingwaters.org.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline River’s end.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
