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Colorado Water History
Colorado Water History: Prezi
Click through the presentation below for a basic orientation to Colorado's water history.
Starting Point: Water Websites
These websites will introduce you to a few of Colorado's current water organizations and issues.
- Colorado Division of Water ResourcesAlso known as the Office of the State Engineer
- Colorado River DistrictCheck out the offerings under the Education tab
- The Ditch ProjectBoulder County ditch history
- Mile High Flood DistrictDenver-area organization working on flood protection. See Resources tab for lots of good information.
- Northern WaterRelates to Northern Colorado as well as the Colorado-Big Thompson transmountain diversion
- Poudre River Web GuideWebsites specifically on the Cache la Poudre River
- Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy DistrictRelates to Fryingpan-Arkansas transmountain diversion
- Upper Colorado River Basin Resource GuideSponsored by the The Water Center at Colorado Mesa University
- U.S. Bureau of ReclamationGood historical information about their institution and projects
- Water-Data.com"the most complete set of Colorado River water related information you can find on the web"
- Water Education ColoradoGreat information in the online Headwaters magazine
- The Water DeskGood source for Western water news and resources
There are many more organizations, issues, and websites! Use the Colorado Water Center's list of agencies and organizations. Or search online with keywords such as "Colorado," "water," and the geographical feature or issue you are researching.
Starting Point: Online Publications
- Irrigation Age
- Find issues from the late 19th and early 20th century through the USDA's NWISRL publications, HathiTrust, the Internet Archive, and Google Books.
- University of Denver Water Law Review
- Access the journal's archive of articles (2012-present).
- Colorado Groundwater Atlas
- Quick reference for information about Colorado's groundwater and groundwater policy.
- Colorado Encyclopedia
- Includes many articles about state water issues, people, and places, as well as a timeline of Colorado water history.
- Colorado Historic Newspapers
- Cross-search old newspapers from across the state.
- Colorado River Basin map
- Comprehensive map of the basin, issued in May 2021.
Starting Point: Books
Silver Fox of the Rockies by Call Number: KF373.C37164 T95 2003ISBN: 0806135158Publication Date: 2003- Colorado's Water: science & management, history & politics byCall Number: HD1694.C6 G744 2003ISBN: 0972888209Publication Date: 2003
Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers by Call Number: KFC2246 .J66 2009ISBN: 9780870819506Publication Date: 2009
- Also see this list of recommended books on Colorado water historyUpdated September 2017
For a longer (though slightly out-of-date!) list, try Colorado Water History: A Bibliography. Compiled in 2008 by Nikolai A. Kryloff and Patricia J. Rettig, this bibliography lists nearly 250 books, theses, and dissertations.
Also (because good bibliographies are a treasure!):
- Readings in the History of the Bureau of ReclamationGreat list of references, touching on many of the water issues in the West
- Bibliography of the Grand Canyon and Lower Colorado River RegionsWhile focus of this bibliography is the Grand Canyon and Lower Colorado River, everything is connected! And, it is impressive!
Your Archivist
Morgan Library
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1019
Subject Specific Help
Colorado water history touches on many subjects. To find a CSU librarian directly related to your academic discipline, go to the Research Help page, where you can also find more research guides like this one.
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