Residents stunned by quiet transformation unfolding at long-forgotten riverbed: 'It's incredible to see'
The Colorado River Delta, previously dried up and barren, has come back to life thanks to the dedicated effort of conservationists and volunteers and a binational agreement between the United States and Mexico, Daily Galaxy reported.
Beginning in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and ending in the Gulf of California in Mexico, the Colorado River runs 2,300 kilometers (1,429 miles), with the latter end having lost most of its natural ecosystem by 1985, according to Deseret News. By the early 2000s, according to ScienceInsider, "researchers estimated the delta had lost 90% of its forests and wetlands because dams and water withdrawals had drained the lower Colorado."
Per Daily Galaxy, a lot of water from the Colorado River was diverted and siphoned off to grow alfalfa — a major livestock crop in Southwestern states, including California, as well as in Northern Mexico. Water from the river was also used to maintain artificial landscapes (lawns, golf courses, and human-made lakes) throughout populated cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.
In 2014, the U.S. and Mexico entered into a historic binational agreement to initiate a controlled release of water from the upper Colorado River to the lower portion by lifting dams, which restored a "pulse flow" in the delta for eight weeks.
Since then, more than 3,500 volunteers and various conservation groups have worked diligently to restore the natural ecosystem in the delta. They've removed water-hungry invasive species and replanted over 500,000 native trees across 540 hectares of land, according to Daily Galaxy.
As a result, areas such as El Chausse, a restoration site in Baja California, Mexico, are once again lush with desert-acclimated plants and trees including cottonwoods, willows, mesquites, and palo verdes, per Daily Galaxy. These plants and their deep root systems help retain water and prevent erosion, making the desert and its wildlife more resilient to climate conditions and extreme weather events brought on by the warming planet.
The delta has also experienced an 85% increase in visits by migratory birds — more than 360,000 birds per year — indicating the comeback of a healthier and more resilient ecosystem.
"Many locals had never seen water in this part of the Colorado River before. Now, they bring their children to witness its return," said Gabriela Caloca, water and rivers coordinator of Raise the River, per Daily Galaxy. "It's incredible to see people reconnect with the river."
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