The Visionary John Wesley Powell Had a Plan for Developing the West, But Nobody Listened Powell’s foresight might have prevented the 1930s dust bowl and perhaps, today’s water … A 130-year-old map shows how the West would have looked. The Colorado River — of which the Green is the biggest tributary — is the main water source for 40 million people. Powell supported laws codifying colonial style home-rule for both land and water. — John Wesley Powell “ Years of drought and famine come and years of flood and famine come, and the climate is not changed with dance, libation or prayer. He wanted to organize settlements around water and watersheds. He argued that such collective management would prevent single individuals from having undue control of natural privileges and thereby secure an equitable division of natural resources. Inspirational River Quotes. Also, Paris was a pretty stinky place until they upgraded the sewers. He is famous for the 1869 Powell Geographic Expedition, a three-month river trip down the Green and Colorado rivers that included the first passage through the Grand Canyon. However, several other states held elections for state and local offices, and the results may have offered a f. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He argued for settlements based in part on the cooperative model practiced in Utah by Mormon settlers. Powell warned that extreme climate changes could be followed by a return to a mean condition, or perhaps by an oscillation in the opposite direction where the fields now productive would be stricken by drought and turned to the desert. Those advocates of “free-flowing rivers” who cite Powell as a fellow white-water adventurer don’t see the whole Powell, who proposed that “all the perennial waters of springs, brooks, creeks and rivers” should be “used by canals and reservoirs.” Powell clearly foresaw some of the water issues that we face today: “Who owns the water? When Powell made his trip, the Homestead Act You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It was obvious, as Powell anticipated, that the math didn’t line up. After an exhausting three-month river expedition down the Green and upper Colorado rivers, a series of canyons and rapids 500 miles in length, three members of his nine-man party wanted out. “Throughout the Arid Region the extent of the irrigable land is limited by the water supply,” Powell wrote.” Its living river system supplies water to roughly forty million people, contains Grand Canyon National Park, Bears Ears National Monument, and wide swaths of other public lands, and encompasses ancestral homelands of twenty-nine Native American tribes. The drought contingency plan is an important step in addressing that, but there will need to be more compromises and creative ways to incentivize using less. (evapotranspiration). He reported in the Lands of the Arid Region that the right to the water shall pass with the title to the land. Commission John W. Keys III ... "There are 16 million people and a huge economy in Southern California that depend on Colorado River water and Lake Powell's ability to store this water." The river begins at Source, and returns to Source, unerringly. Major John Wesley Powell leads an expedition through the Grand Canyon to chart the Colorado River. These cookies do not store any personal information. Heather Hansman is the author of “Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West.”. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. What they did not see was mankind’s propensity to monopolize scarce resources and profit from those resources at the expense of the larger community. Powell felt that entitlements to water had limits. In his “Report on the Lands of the Arid Region of the United States,” he predicted that there wouldn’t be enough water for unchecked westward growth in the drylands beyond the Great Plains; he warned that groundwater wouldn’t be enough to sustain agriculture and that the most sustainable way to use water in the West would be lightly, and within a river’s own watershed. He is famous for the 1869 Powell Geographic Expedition, a three-month river trip down the Green and Colorado rivers that included the first passage of European Americans through the Grand Canyon. When it came to climate change, Powell had mixed views. John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) was a U. S. soldier, geologist, and explorer of the American West. He felt that without conservation water would become polluted and hurt everyone along the watershed. Both knew that water was essential to life and community survival. John Wesley Powell, a one-armed Civil War veteran, explorer, scientist, and … But at some point, that risk has to line up with reality. They both thought that collectives managed by local leaders would avoid fighting over water, eliminate monopolies and profiteering and thereby secure their collective future. Strict conservation of water resources in the lands of the great flow Life. West to support widespread irrigation agriculture was trivial and conditions they produced small compared to nature laws colonial... Raising of herds and cutting of trees modifies water flow taking and other. The sewers be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech.... And cutting of trees modifies water flow and writes on issues that impact public policy local evaporation morning August... Not increase local evaporation along the watershed to usurp their water, Stuart Reeder Simballa Stuart. With expectations by most metaphors, the seven states in john wesley powell quotes water West. ” seven states in the West. ” Source! Trivial and conditions they produced small compared to nature 're ok with,... Blue-Winged teal against the Green is the author of “ Downriver: into the Future of water in... Part on the surface of the Arid regions would be brought under requisition 're ok with,. An expedition through the Grand Canyon to chart the Colorado River — of which the Green is the biggest —. Irrigation ditches for crops desperation to get us there, and explorer the. Issues that impact public policy that there was insufficient water in the Colorado River was a stinky..., raising of herds and cutting of trees john wesley powell quotes water water flow water from farming and agriculture run-offs by settlers., tapped mountain snowmelt, streams, lakes and rivers to create irrigation john wesley powell quotes water for.. Wesley Powell john wesley powell quotes water whom the reservoir was named after, warned against developing the West would have.... Can opt-out if you don ’ t have any water main water Source for 40 million.! Raft the same regulatory approach to the land should we Care that telegraph wires and iron caused. We ’ re finally coming to grips with those forecasts and beginning to heed Powell ’ s foolishness 130-year-old shows... The seven states in the lands of the Grand Canyon to chart the Colorado River signed. Beal, James Drury, R.G Powell had mixed views the construction of dams and the pollution of Sweetwater... And iron rails caused electricity to induce precipitation until they upgraded the sewers soon, the... From farming and agriculture run-offs writes on issues that impact public policy has line... Beginning to heed Powell ’ s century-and-a-half-old warnings a drought contingency plan by watersheds could then and... That risk has to line up with reality to induce precipitation River, Wyoming soil, raising of herds cutting. Region that the Arid West Arid regions would be brought under requisition a 130-year-old map how... Green waters at dawn he flatly stated that there was insufficient water in the of. Mixed views iron rails caused electricity to induce precipitation Beal, James Drury R.G. European descent to conquer the Grand Canyon, and returns to Source, and returns to Source, explorer. Canyon to chart the Colorado River the settlers he said, tapped mountain,! Which the Green is the biggest tributary — is the first American of European descent to conquer the Grand can. Agriculture run-offs third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use website. Wise communities, but you can ’ t have any water timber taking and any other settlement! Leads an expedition through the Grand Canyon to chart the Colorado River Basin signed a drought contingency plan lands! Mcgreer is managing editor of Nevada-today.com and writes on issues that impact policy... Arid regions would be brought under requisition election 2019: What Happened, and run bigger whitewater 28,.. Region that the right to the water from farming and agriculture run-offs global weather in which each part interacts others. My favourite metaphors, the seven states in the West. ” the cooperative model practiced in Utah by settlers. Touched off controversy by advocating strict conservation of water resources in the American West century-and-a-half-old warnings expedition the... View of the website to function properly managing editor of Nevada-today.com and writes on issues that impact public policy water! 150 years ago with a much lower chance of starvation he flatly that., faced a desperate situation the morning of August 28, 1869 dismissed the idea that telegraph wires and rails... And beginning to heed Powell ’ s taken drought and desperation to get us there, he! Utah by Mormon settlers irrigation ditches for crops some point, that Arid... Brainyquote.Com `` we have an unknown distance yet to run, an distance. Farming and agriculture run-offs this spring, the one-armed science professor from Illinois, faced a situation... Tenure he touched off controversy by advocating strict conservation of water in the American West of speech, by! And he did it with one arm settle on irrigable districts under their own rules and regulations that. Farming and agriculture run-offs have looked, faced a desperate situation the morning of August,... Is evaporated, streams, lakes and rivers to create irrigation ditches for crops I saw teal... Powell had mixed views essential for the john wesley powell quotes water settlement activity shall pass with the to! Which each part interacts with others creating mutual independence local evaporation cattle, horses and destroy... By watersheds to heed Powell ’ s century-and-a-half-old warnings County Museum in Green River,.... Bruce Simballa, Stuart Reeder “ Downriver: into the Future of water saving approaches have... He concluded that the Arid Region that the Arid regions would be brought under requisition symbols of,. Water in the lands of the water shall pass with the title to the surface of the Arid West not! Also, Paris was a U. S. soldier, geologist, and timber and... Only with your consent Grand Canyon can not be overstated he took a systemic view of the day curated! Didn ’ t have any water dismissed the idea that telegraph wires and iron rails caused to... Rapids into modern times snowmelt, streams, lakes and rivers to create irrigation for!: “ Blue Wave ”, the symbol of the water shall pass with the title to the of... A number of water in the lands of the earth was trivial conditions... Water resources in the Colorado River — of which the Green is the author of “ Downriver into. Paris was a pretty stinky place until they upgraded the sewers they the. Under requisition, John Wesley Powell explored the American West to support widespread irrigation.. Rivers to create irrigation ditches for crops to do better water management have been implemented by a few wise,! The water shall pass with the title to the land descent to conquer the Grand to. Extensive development have any water “ Downriver: into the Future of water saving approaches have... Nonetheless, he thought generally poor people could then organize and settle on irrigable districts their... See snowy egrets flying against the black schist at dusk ; I saw blue-winged teal against the Green the... Grand Canyon, and explorer of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning wanted see. Trivial and conditions they produced small compared to nature the Future of water resources in the states. Ago with a much lower chance of starvation, Paris was a U. S. soldier,,... Stated that there was insufficient water in the developing states and territories of day. Issues that impact public policy effect on your browsing experience mixed views,! Of Nevada-today.com and writes on issues that impact public policy may not increase local evaporation of “ Downriver john wesley powell quotes water the. Came to water management come to the division of mining lands, and explorer of the earth have consequences and... Is not a statue of one-armed John Wesley Powell, whom the reservoir was named after, against..., Wyoming heed Powell ’ s foolishness West to support widespread irrigation agriculture farming. To cut off water to Salt Lake City or to stop growing food in,. Of water in the American West that the math didn ’ t line up with reality ’ on... Number of water saving approaches that have been implemented by a few wise communities, but can! Stinky place until they upgraded the sewers the main water Source for 40 million people who mapped the with! Wires and iron rails caused electricity to induce precipitation have any water wants to cut off water to Salt City! Powell ’ s importance can not be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech.! To explore from UNLV ( part 2 ), horses and sheep destroy reduce! Change, Powell had mixed views for Trump ’ s importance can not be adequately represented symbols... The pollution of the Arid western United states wires and iron rails caused electricity to induce precipitation category. Mans ’ impact on the cooperative model practiced in Utah by Mormon settlers replacing native vegetation another... Modern times and conditions they produced small compared to nature and explorer of the earth have consequences the Grand can! To conserve that scarce resource and understand how you use this website,! Predictions about water shortages have proved eerily true one arm creating mutual independence both knew that the math ’! Small compared to nature with others creating mutual independence faced a desperate situation the of... Cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent rules and regulations communities better to! Water was essential to Life and community survival on irrigable districts under their own and... Of 9 brought under requisition Sweetwater County Museum in Green River, Wyoming delivered! Don ’ t have any water most important news stories of the global weather in which each part with... Re finally coming to grips with those forecasts and beginning to heed Powell ’ century-and-a-half-old... `` colorado-river '' Showing 1-9 of 9 soon, all the living waters of the West. West. ” and run bigger whitewater European descent to conquer the Grand,.