The Colorado River, source to (almost) sea

The Colorado River, source to (almost) sea http://whatcounts.com/dm?id=72D319E38E74F6E0D35AF50CB81E686962109E3B7E71D172 It’s easy to think of the Colorado River in a vague, abstract way. We all hear the river that provides water to seven Western states is in trouble. Its wildness is all but gone; dams clog and choke it; too many states lay too many claims on too little water. We may catch glimpses of the river or one of its tributaries here and there; maybe we float a section, maybe ranchers nearby use its water to irrigate their alfalfa fields. It’s hard, though, to picture the river as a whole. Writer Jonathan Waterman likes to compare it to Marilyn Monroe -- big and beautiful on top and dwindling to nothing but stiletto heels at the bottom. National Geographic photographer Peter McBride worked with Waterman as the author floated the Colorado from its source to where it ends, 70 miles short of the Gulf of California; it hasn’t reached the sea since 1998. McBride’s breathtaking images enhance Waterman’s descriptions, but also stand alone as a way to see the river over many parts of its 1,450-mile length. McBride told the tale of his exploration of the river in a recent interview. We compiled that with some of his stunning aerial photos into a multimedia slideshow. Listen to the interview and view McBride’s photos online at HCN.org. -- Stephanie Paige Ogburn, online editor