The Colorado River is expected to reconnect with the sea today, for the first time in several years. Two months ago, water officials sent water down the expansive delta to improve habitat. The last stretch of the river has been dry for decades thanks to overuse. It’s used to supply drinking water, irrigate farmlands and generate power. In 2011, photojournalist and Basalt resident Pete McBride documented the dry delta in his film Chasing Water.
Today’s historic reconnection is a big day for water officials around the Western United States, including in Colorado. Dave Kanzer is a senior water engineer for the Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River Water Conservation District.
