Colorado Water History

Colorado is the Headwaters State. Four major rivers begin in its Rocky Mountains: the Colorado, the Rio Grande, the Arkansas, and the Platte. Because all of these flow out of Colorado to other equally arid states, competition for this limited supply occurs both within the state and across its borders.

The development and use of water, and the politics and law that accompany it--not to mention people and organizations with diverse needs that use it--have created a complex history. That history touches on agriculture, engineering, wildlife, recreation, and much more.

Researching Colorado's water history can be daunting! The resources presented in this guide will help you navigate water history from Colorado's headwaters to the state's borders--and beyond.

This guide is brought to you by the Water Resources Archive, the best place in the state to begin learning about the history of Colorado's most precious resource.

March 2025 - Register now for Water Tables at SPUR

March 2025 - Read about Stella Newell, a Colorado woman in water

February 2025 - Attend the CSU Groundwater Symposium

February 2025 - New issue: Preserving the Source e-newsletter

January 2025 - New finding aid: Papers of Norman A. Evans

125 years ago was a blur! Longs Peak trip 1900, likely for surveying.

Find more images and historical information in the Water Resources Archive.