A journey down one of the last wild rivers in the American west: ‘The bullseye will always be on its back’
Summary
The Yampa River in the American West is one of the last rivers still flowing freely without large dams. A diverse group of people, including scientists and tribal representatives, took a rafting trip to see the river’s natural beauty and understand the challenges it faces due to climate change and increasing water demands.Key Facts
- The Yampa River flows about 250 miles through Colorado and Utah and joins the Green River.
- It is one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Colorado River basin.
- The Colorado River supplies water to over 40 million people across seven U.S. states and parts of Mexico.
- The river basin supports more than 5.5 million acres of farmland and $1.4 trillion in economic activity.
- The Colorado River system is overused, requiring large water cuts to recover.
- Water flows have dropped by about 25% over the last 100 years, partly due to climate change.
- The Yampa’s free-flowing state could change as water demand grows from industries and communities.
- Groups have been taking people on trips down the river to raise awareness about protecting it.
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