River running history of the Colorado River Research Paper

River running history of the Colorado River - Research Paper Example This paper explores the history of Colorado River. Colorado River cruises through Grand Canyon where it changes its direction due to the physical features that exist in its course. The depth of canyon along the river varies and the width as a range of 10 to 18 miles. The river has curved through the earth geology for more than 6 million years. The water of the river has won the layers of limestone, granite, sandstone and shale among other layers. Colorado River has two major districts, the lower basin that comprises of Arizona, Nevada and California, and the upper basin that comprises Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah. The sources of the river are in Colorado and Wyoming and it flows to the Gulf of California. The river serves as a historic and prehistoric feature in the west. Colorado River that flows through Utah towards southwest direction has two tributaries San Juan and Green. During the prehistoric period, the river served as a boundary to the Anasazi population who lived on the south and eastern part of the river and the Fremont population who lived on the north and the west of the river. History records that river Colorado has been a source of water and livelihood for the natives of the Grand Canyon for over 12,000 years. The natives used the river water for agriculture and domestic use. Communities such as Havasupai, Hualapai, Hopi, Paiute, Yavapai-Apache, Navajo, and Zuni had a great influence in dictating the use of the river water (Marston & Farquhar 102). One third of water allotment right lies on the hands of over 20 Indian tribes who live and control over 717,000 acres land along the river. These tribes are under the burner of Intertribal Council of Arizona. In 1850s and 1860s, Navajo tribe raided other communities who lived along the river. The control and protection of the river was very important for these communities because they performed their