Water: the Key to Life in Western Colorado

The video Water: the Key to Life in Western Colorado is a 24-minute tour of Western Colorado that is geared to students from 5th grade through high school.

It explores one of our most important resources  --  water.  What does water mean to the people of Western Colorado?  The land in this part of the country is semi-arid desert and the high alpine climate has little naturally occurring rainfall. 

More people live in Western Colorado than can be supported naturally.  Water management is necessary to meet our water needs and supplies.

Water: the Key to Life in Western Colorado explores the five main uses of water: agriculture, domestic, recreation, hydroelectric power and the environment/scenic beauty.

The video includes footage from Yampa, White, Blue, Eagle, Roaring Fork, Colorado, Gunnison and Dolores Rivers. It shows how early Coloradans learned to manage water since they didn't have our current technological and scientific advancements. 

Enjoy the majestic geography of Western Colorado's rivers while learning about the history of water use on the Western Slope and how it is used and managed today. 

Water: the Key to Life in Western Colorado is a Colorado standards-based video and is  available at no charge by emailing