The geographic area drained by a river and its tributaries is
called a "basin." The rivers and streams shown on this map all
flow into the Colorado River. The canals and aqueduct in
California receive water from the Colorado. This map shows only
Reclamation's dams in the basin. 1. Trace the course of the
Colorado River. Where does it start? Where does it end? There
are two places where the river forms the boundary between two
states. Which states are they? 2. Trace the boundaries of the
Colorado River Basin. Which states are within the Basin? Which
are in the Upper Basin and which are in the Lower Basin? 3. Most
of the water in the Colorado comes from melting snow in the
Upper Colorado Basin. Most of the water is used in the Lower
Colorado Basin. If you had to decide how much of the river's
water each state could have, what factors might you consider? If
the states did not agree with what you recommended, who do you
think should have the right to make a final decision? 4. The
river crosses the border into Mex