Change the Course to Restore 1 Billion Gallons of Water to Colorado River Delta
More than 50,000 public pledges to conserve water contribute to delta restoration
WASHINGTON (March 26, 2014)—Change the Course is a freshwater restoration movement. They will restore 1 billion gallons of water to the Colorado River Delta. This effort will also support the revitalization of wetland habitats. Essentially in what was once one of the planet’s great desert aquatic ecosystems. Change the Course is also spearheaded by the National Geographic Society, Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) and Participant Media.
Labeled as “a milk-and-honey wilderness” by the great conservationist Aldo Leopold after his trip there in 1922. For the Colorado Delta is now a desiccated place of mud flats and salt flats. The Colorado River is so heavily dammed, diverted and depleted. Now it hasn’t reached the sea for most of the last half century. As a result, wetlands and habitats crucial to myriad birds and wildlife disappeared along with the river.
Colorado River water agreement
In November 2012, the United States and Mexico signed Minute 319. It’s most importantly a historic agreement that commits the governments to a five-year restoration effort. This includes a “pulse flow” that began on March 23, 2014. The pulse flow mimics the natural flood that occurred every spring. That’s before the construction of dams and diversions along the river. Moreover, Minute 319 also calls on a coalition of conservation organizations. Essentially to provide a sustaining base flow to keep the river running. They must also water the young cottonwoods, willows and other native tree seedlings that emerge during the pulse flow.
Change the Course has partnered with the Colorado River Delta Water Trust to lease the water from delta farmers. This partnership will provide the critical base flow, which will occur on the heels of the historic pulse flow.
Minute 319
“Minute 319 is definitely a landmark agreement. One that sets in motion one of the most ambitious and also groundbreaking aquatic restoration efforts ever undertaken. The revitalization of the Colorado River Delta,” said Sandra Postel, National Geographic’s Freshwater Fellow and co-director of Change the Course. “Change the Course is definitely pleased to support this turning point in river management. For the recognition that cooperation, flexibility and also greater efficiency can produce more benefits for water users. Moreover, the environment than the combative, zero-sum approaches of the past.”
The Colorado River restoration will benefit around 380 bird species. This effort will significantly increase biodiversity and enhance the ecological resilience of the region. Local Mexican and indigenous communities will gain from this too. They will enjoy cleaner water resources and improved fishing and agricultural opportunities. Additionally, these changes will foster sustainable practices that have lasted for generations. Scientists will monitor the impacts of the flows on the delta’s hydrology, vegetation, birds, and wildlife. This monitoring will provide a thorough understanding of the ecosystem’s response. Consequently, it will inform future conservation efforts. This collaborative approach shows the value of combining scientific research with community insights for achieving long-term environmental goals.
Change the Course
Change the Course invites members of the public to make a free pledge to conserve water in their daily lives. For every pledge made, Change the Course returns 1,000 gallons of water to a depleted part of the Colorado River Basin.
“With this latest commitment to contribute to the base flow, Change the Course will double the amount of water it has restored to dewatered rivers, streams and wetlands across the Colorado River Basin,” said Todd Reeve, chief executive officer of BEF.
New Models of Corporate Water Stewardship
Embracing a new model of corporate water stewardship, a number of progressive companies have joined Change the Course to balance their own water footprints. They do this by providing funding to support innovative projects that restore flows to the depleted Colorado River.
To date, Change the Course has built a pledge community of more than 50,000 people. This community has helped restore flows to four depleted rivers in the Colorado River Basin as well as the delta.
“With pledges from young people in all 50 states and in 113 countries around the world, it’s exciting to see people pull together for an important cause like the Colorado River,” added Chad Boettcher, EVP Social Action for Participant Media. “We’re proud to be part of the effort and hopeful that through similar efforts that bring together diverse organizations and people, we can work to restore other endangered ecosystems.”
CALL TO ACTION:
Members of the public can calculate their own freshwater footprint and contribute to the water restoration efforts by making the free pledge to conserve water at changethecourse.us. Alternatively, they can text the word RIVER to 77177. For every pledge, Change the Course will restore 1,000 gallons of water to the Colorado River Basin.
Source: National Geographic Society, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Participant Media
