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Priority Landscapes

Colorado River Basin

A wide river makes a horseshoe shape, wrapping around a large orange rock in a canyon.
Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon 2023 Adventures in Nature Student Photography Contest Honorable Mention; "Horseshoe Bend during a semi-cloudy day," by Faiza Tasnim of Gilbert © Faiza Tasnim

Celebrating the Colorado River

The Colorado River is one of the hardest working rivers in the West. The Nature Conservancy is working hard across the entire Colorado River Basin to protect this amazing river and resource.

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Graphic showing many benefits of the Colorado River Basin such as its ability to support a $26B recreation and tourism industry, hundreds of iconic species of bird, fish, and more, and fresh water for over 40M people and 5M acres of land.

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Celebrating the Colorado River

Learn more about why this mighty river is considered the lifeblood of the American West.

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at Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah.

Project Overview

Our Colorado River

Nearly 36 million people rely on the Colorado River for water, food, recreation and energy. Stand with us to protect this iconic American lifeline.

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scientists walk in the dry Colorado River Delta
Colorado River A release of water from the Morelos Dam temporarily revived the Colorado River in northern Mexico in spring 2014, encouraging the regrowth of native trees and inspiring locals to get their feet wet. © Nick Hall

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Restoring the Delta

Most of the Colorado River's water is used up by farms and cities before reaching the sea. What's being done to return water, and life, to the Delta?

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Latest Stories

An aerial photo of a reservoir with low water levels.

A River in Crisis

Dire conditions in the Colorado River Basin call for collaborative solutions.

The Verde river near Camp Verde, Arizona.

Salt Verde Alliance

Arizona's first water fund is protecting the rivers that supply water for the greater Phoenix area and the communities and farms upstream.

Razorback sucker fish

Razorback Sucker Nursery in Utah

At The Nature Conservancy’s Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve near Moab, Utah, scientists and engineers are giving endangered razorback suckers a better chance of survival.

a river surrounded by greenery

Returning Water to the San Pedro River

Innovative projects are helping to increase the flow of water in one of the longest undammed rivers in the Southwest.

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