Sophomore College 2011

By Heather West

The Colorado River is the life-giving artery that waters much of the arid American West. Rushing from the high peaks of the Rockies through deep desert canyons to the Gulf of California, the Colorado River drains seven western states, irrigates more than 3 million acres of farmland, and provides hydropower and water for more than 30 million Americans before trickling into the Sea of Cortez. These competing demands make the Colorado River one of the most contested and controlled rivers in the world.

On August 30, 2011, students and faculty members from Stanford University began a 225 mile, 14-day field seminar rafting down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon immersing themselves in the interdisciplinary subject of water in the West. The Sophomore College, “The Colorado River: Water in the West as Seen from a Raft in the Grand Canyon,” offered students from the Class of 2014 a unique opportunity to learn about the river through a variety of disciplines including history, law, politics, hydrology, geology, and education.

In between listening to lectures in awe-inspiring slot canyons and writing papers on sandy beaches, the students formed project groups around four themes explored in summer readings and expanded on during lectures and discussions on the river. Their projects highlight tensions between upper basin and lower basin states, competing resource demands of the United States and Mexico, issues of preservation and conservation of the Colorado River basin, and our time on the river, in the Grand Canyon, and exploring the Colorado River Basin.  In addition to presenting their work to a small group once we arrived back on campus in September, the students have prepared articles, reports, and pictures to share some of the intellectual themes that were explored in one of the world's most amazing classrooms: the Grand Canyon.

You can read a feature story about the course in Stanford Magazine and view an interactive map of the expedition. And learn more about our research program on Water in the West, a collaboration with the Woods Institute for the Environment here.

To view the student's projects, please explore the links below:

• The Flow of Change: State Boundaries and Water Management in Las Vegas
• Connecting with the Canyon: Methods, Conflicts, and Resolutions in Forming a Sense of Place
• The Colorado River's Salty Tears: Evaluating the Yuma Desalination Plant
• Where the Law Doesn't Flow: The 1944 US-Mexico Treaty and Changing Environmental Values of Water

Professors
Nicole Ardoin
David Freyberg
David M. Kennedy
Barton “Buzz” Thompson

Teaching Assistants
Amanda Cravens
Lauren Oakes
Nicola Ulibarri
Heather West

The Flow of Change: State Boundaries and Water Management in Las Vegas

By Jenny Farman, Ben Lerman, Will Toaspern, Michelle Valentine

For nearly a century after the signing of the Colorado River Compact, Nevada’s water allotment of 300,000 acre-feet per year adequately served the population of Las Vegas. However, since the 1980s the city has experienced explosive population growth, forcing Las Vegas water officials to discuss new sources of water for the city. Our report explores historical, political, legal, and economic dimensions of Las Vegas' water use and the Southern Nevada Water Authority's role in the Colorado River Basin.

Connecting with the Canyon: Methods, Conflicts, and Resolutions in Forming a Sense of Place

By Andrea Acosta, Lucy Herrero

The phenomenon of attributing significance to a location, or creating a sense of place, figures prominently in studies on environmental behavior. Researchers define this sense of place as the cognitive, affective, values-based way of interacting with a specific site. This article explore commercial and non-commercial experience of the Grand Canyon, looking at the experience of the Native American tribes that call the canyon home and at our own group's trip down the Colorado River.

The Colorado River’s Salty Tears: Evaluating the Yuma Desalination Plant

By Blake Montgomery, Jon Proctor, Anne Rempel

Climate change is expected to decrease the Colorado River’s flow by as much as 20 percent. As states scramble to secure sustainable water sources, experts and policymakers consider various water development and reclamation proposals. The Bureau of Reclamation recently tested one controversial option, the Yuma Desalination Plant (YDP).

Where the Law Doesn't Flow: The 1944 US-Mexico Treaty and Changing Environmental Values

By Julia Barrero, Aline Bass, Saunders Hayes

Even more powerful than the Colorado River itself are the international laws and treaties that govern its flow. But unlike a river, which can suddenly change course, laws adapt slowly to evolving popular perspectives. Our research examined the 1944 US-Mexico Treaty governing the Colorado River, focusing especially on the treaty's responsiveness to changing environmental attitudes toward water in the international realm. Although there have been minor amendments to the treaty that display concern for the environmental integrity of the Colorado River, much room remains for improvement.