It irrigates 5.5 million acres of farmland, supports a $1.4 trillion economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs, and supplies water to 40 million people. Long before it became a battleground for competing interests, it was — and still is — a source of life.
Today, the river’s future is often framed as an environmental issue; it is far more than that. It is an issue of national stability and shared prosperity. When the water that feeds cities and farms declines, the consequences ripple: higher food prices, strained public health systems, rising energy costs, and regional uncertainty.
I still remember seeing the river for the first time. Standing on its edge felt almost meditative. The sound of the current against stone, the cold rush of water against my hands, the vast open sky overhead — these are experiences no screen can replicate.
A historic drought, intensified by climate change, is severely threatening the Colorado River. The river depends on snowpack from the Rocky Mountains, yet in places like Salt Lake City, where I live, recent winters have produced alarmingly low levels. Less snow means less runoff, even as water demand continues to rise and the river is managed as if it were limitless. The West is now in an unprecedented water crisis, experiencing one of the driest periods in the past 1,200 years. A decline in rainfall, combined with higher water demand, has resulted in a devastating reduction in runoff flows — pushing the Colorado River toward a breaking point.
For Latino communities, this crisis is not abstract. It is personal and immediate. One-third of the U.S. Latino population lives in the Colorado River Basin, and as the fastest-growing demographic in the country, our increasing presence underscores our unique and critical role in shaping long-term river solutions. Many work in agriculture as farmworkers, directly interacting and relying on the river’s water for irrigation and crop cultivation. When the river suffers, they feel the consequences first and most deeply — but they also represent the greatest potential for stewardship of the river.
Polling reflects this lived reality. In the annual Conservation in the West Poll, 77% of Latinos expressed deep concern about low river levels; 77% supported government action to protect water supplies threatened by climate change; 83% recognized the river as critical to their state’s economy; and 84% said it requires urgent action. Additionally, 80% of Latinos support negotiating a new Colorado River water agreement to improve water management. These numbers tell a clear story: Latinos understand both the stakes and the responsibility, as echoed in the “Voices of the River” film.
Across the Southwest, more Latinos are bringing deep knowledge, dedication and cultural connection to help shape water solutions. They are raising awareness, facilitating engagement and access to the Colorado River and its surrounding outdoors, participating in the legislative process as voters, running for office, meeting with elected representatives, offering a new perspective and advocating for practical, long-term management, inclusive, and collaborative strategies. Their leadership is rooted not in ideology, but in lived hands-on experience and a commitment to current and future generations.
The river crosses seven states, Tribal nations, and Mexico — each with legitimate needs for agriculture, energy, recreation and urban growth. Durable solutions will require more than short-term fixes. They demand collaboration across sectors, meaningful community engagement, and accountability in how water is allocated and conserved.
What is emerging in Latino communities across the basin offers a roadmap forward: informed residents, engaged voters, local leadership development and collective action grounded in shared values. Protecting the Colorado River will require sustained civic participation, equitable water management and cross-community partnerships that move beyond division toward common purpose.
Whether you live along its banks or thousands of miles away, your life is shaped by the Colorado River — through the food on your table, the water you drink and the energy that powers your home. Securing its future will depend on our willingness to invest in people, strengthen community leadership and work together toward long-term, community-driven solutions.
The question is no longer whether we can act. It is whether we will act together, with urgency and resolve. The future of the Colorado River — and the millions of lives it sustains — depends on it.