DRI Science On the Colorado River

The Colorado River is a central part of life in the American West. This national artery supplies water to seven states and parts of northern Mexico, with 40 million people relying on it to keep their taps flowing and nearly the entire country (and beyond) depending on food grown with the river's water. Managing this water responsibly has become a growing challenge, with the region experiencing a  historic drought  and climate change reducing the predictability of precipitation in the river's headwaters. With less snow falling in the mountains and drier weather pulling more of the river's water back into the atmosphere, scientists and water managers strive to better understand every aspect of the river's water cycle. Researchers at Nevada's  Desert Research Institute (DRI)  are leading the way in several fields, from the river's Rocky Mountain source down to the Mexican border.

Legally binding agreements about how to divide up the river's water were made more than a century ago, and demand now outpaces supply. In the Lower Basin alone (see map to the right), the river faces a deficit large enough to fill half a million Olympic-size swimming pools, imperiling the river's reach to the Gulf of California. The stretch of the river that carves through the Grand Canyon—one of the most iconic American scenes—has also been declared the nation's  most endangered river .

The river's challenges are well known, but the scientific and technological advancements that will help chart a sustainable path forward are another critical element of the river's legacy. As climate change and human population growth require scientific ingenuity to maintain our standard of living in the West, the advancements produced will offer solutions to regions worldwide that are likely to face similar challenges.

"It often feels like we're at the sharp end of the stick when it comes to climate change," says  Sean McKenna , Director of  DRI's Division of Hydrologic Sciences . "A lot of the things we're experienced in dealing with now in the southwestern U.S. will become more common in other parts of the country—and the world—moving forward."

This Storymap offers an overview of some of DRI's research related to the Colorado River, much of which is focused on finding solutions for a changing world. With advancements in fields like estimating evaporation off of reservoirs, creative ways to supplement and protect mountain snowpacks, and using satellites to measure vegetation water use, the research presented here is an example of science's value for guiding humanity to a brighter future.

We are Nevada’s non-profit research institute, founded in 1959 to empower experts to focus on science that matters. We work with communities across the state–and the world–to address their most pressing scientific questions, while building bridges between scientists and policymakers to enact positive change.  

We’re proud that our scientists continuously produce solutions that better human and environmental health. We pioneered the use of chemical fingerprinting to identify sources of air pollution in Nevada’s cities and reduce haze in National Parks across the country. We work with communities downwind of historic atomic testing at the Nevada National Security Site to monitor radiation exposure. We used ice trapped below the surface of Greenland to connect historic levels of lead pollution with the rise and fall of ancient economies like the Roman Empire. For decades, we have been using satellite technology to locate, and build, drinking water wells for communities in Ghana and we have enhanced precipitation throughout Nevada, the driest state in the nation, using decades of research on cloud seeding.  

Scientists at DRI are involved with students at other Nevada System of Higher Education institutions, offering research positions and teaching support, but are not expected to take on the heavy teaching loads of university professors. Instead, they are encouraged to follow their research interests across the traditional boundaries of scientific fields, collaborating across DRI and with scientists worldwide. We reach thousands of young Nevada students annually with specialized science and robotics lessons and free continuing education for teachers. All faculty support their own research through grants, bringing in nearly $5 to the Nevada economy for every $1 of state funds received. With more than 600 scientists, engineers, students, and staff across our Reno and Las Vegas campuses, we conducted more than $52 million in sponsored research focused on improving peoples’ lives in 2024 alone.

At DRI, science isn’t merely academic – it’s the key to future-proofing our communities and building a better world.