Western Water News

Photos Capture New Flows in Colorado River Delta

Water delivered through the desiccated channel will benefit the environment.

Colorado River water diverted at the border into Mexicali Valley irrigation canals is being returned to the river via a spillway about 35 miles downstream, bypassing the driest part of the channel (where water infiltrates quickly into the sand). Photo: Jennifer Pitt/Audubon

Words by Jennifer Pitt

Colorado River Program Director

Published June 23, 2021

I had the great fortune to take my first, post-pandemic trip to Mexico to see the river flowing in the Colorado River Delta (click HERE for background). For 164 days the United States and Mexico are cooperating under the terms of Minute 323 to deliver environmental water. The flow rates and locations for water delivery are intended to optimize benefits for the delta ecosystem, and over time monitoring reports will tell that story. For now, I can share what I saw: