The Inundation of the Salton Basin by the Colorado River and How It Was Caused

Scientific American | April 14th, 1906

If the Colorado River continues to flow through the channel which it has been occupying during the last six months, the geography of the Southwest must be radically ch

If the Colorado River continues to flow through the channel which it has been occupying during the last six months, the geography of the Southwest must be radically changed, for at the present time but little water from the river reaches the Gulf of California, which until recently has formed its main estuary. Except when the river is in flood, the bulk of the water flows into what is known as the Salton Sink in southern California-a distance of fully 160 miles from the gulf.  The new channel of the Colorado takes a northwesterly course, while the channeI it formerly occupied is nearly south. It is perhaps needless to say that this watercourse is not only one of the most important in the Southwest, but is notable for the immense volume of water which it carries, especially during the flood seasons. But the quantity of detritus which it holds in solution is enormous, and is nearly equal to that carried down by the Mississippi at certain seasons of the year, owing to the topography of the region which drains into it. An idea of the quantity of water carried by the Colorado at different times of the year can be gained, when it is stated that actual measurements indicate a flow ranging as high as 30,000 cubic feet per second. It is estimated that if the silt and other material brought down the river in the course of a year were spread evenly over a given 'surface, it would cover no less than 35,000 acres to a minimum depth of one foot. Consequently, the Colorado is almost as much of a "land maker" as the Mississippi, acting like a gigantic suction dredge in carrying away the material in its vicinity and depositing it upon the lowlands near its mouth and in the Gulf of California.

The Ives Expedition of 1858

Imperial Irrigation District (IID) | October 1st, 1956

The Lower Colorado Basin Fiscal Years 2019 & 2020

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | January 4th, 2021

The Metropolitan Aqueduct: Colorado River Water for Cities in the Metropolitan Water District

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) | March 12th, 1931

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California History and First Annual Report for the Period Ending June 30, 1938

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) | January 20th, 1939

The New Inland Sea

Scientific American | April 13th, 1907

The deep channel in the Alamo River, which passed Holtville in August, was gradually approaching Sharp's Heading, and it was recognized that when this cataract reached

The deep channel in the Alamo River, which passed Holtville in August, was gradually approaching Sharp's Heading, and it was recognized that when this cataract reached the heading it would be very difficult and expensive, and perhaps impossible, to maintain that heading. This, however, was not the only peril to the water supply of the valley. The channel of New River had eroded to such an extent that where the two streams separated it was estimated that four-fifths of the water was running down New River and only one fifth down the Alamo. While this proportion was favorable to the regimen of the Alamo and the safety of Sharp's Heading, it was very threatening in an other respect. It accelerated the cutting of the New River channel, in which was a great cataract four or five miles below the separation of the two streams, and this was, of course, advancing upstream. It was well recognized that when this cataract reached the Alamo the channel would be so deep that all of the water would run down New River and leave Sharp's Heading on dry land, without any water for the irrigation of the Imperial Valley. Threatened first with inundation, and next with the destruction of their entire water supply, the inhabitants of the Imperial Valley have naturally been almost in a state of panic for several months.

The Newest Plan of Los Angeles Engineers to Provide More Water for that Enterprising Metropolis

Scientific American | February 1st, 1925

The Press and Pulse of Climate Change: Extreme Events in the Colorado River Basin

American Water Resources Association (AWRA) | June 21st, 2022

Extremes in temperature and precipitation are associated with damaging floods, prolonged drought, destructive wildfires, agricultural challenges, compromised human health

Extremes in temperature and precipitation are associated with damaging floods, prolonged drought, destructive wildfires, agricultural challenges, compromised human health, vulnerable infrastructure, and threatened ecosystems and species. Often, the steady and progressive trends (or presses) of rising global temperature are the central focus in how climate impacts are described. However, observations of extreme weather events (or pulses) increasingly show that the intensity, duration and/or frequency of acute events are also changing, resulting in greater impacts on communities and the environment. Describing how the influence of extreme events may shape water management in the Colorado River Basin in clear terms is critical to sound future planning and efforts to manage risk. Three scenario planning workshops in 2019 and 2020 were held as part of a Colorado River Conversations series, identifying potential impacts from multiple intersecting extreme events. Water managers identified climate-related events of concern in the Colorado River Basin that necessitate greater attention and adaptive responses. To support efforts to include consideration of climate-change-driven extremes in water management and planning, we explore the current state of knowledge at the confluence of long-term climate shifts and extreme weather in the Colorado River Basin related to the events of concern that were identified by scenario planning participants.

The Salton Sea: A Status Update

Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) | August 29th, 2018

The seven Colorado River Basin states letter to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 5/22/23

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | May 22nd, 2023