Colorado conflicts

1. Learning Objectives
• To understand how the supply of water is a
Geopolitical issue, by studying the Colorado River
• To understand who are the winners and losers of
these treaties
LO: Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water

2. Definitions
• Hydropolitics
– International disputes over how water is used.
• Water Diplomacy
– This is when new treaties are needed to negotiate the
use of shared water resources. International law
doesn’t make it clear as to whose water it whose.
Some upstream countries claim ‘territorial
sovereignty’ (its our water and we will decide how to
use it). Downstream countries claim ‘territorial
integrity’ (its our right to receive the same as we have
in the past).
LO: Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water

5. Sharing Water—The Helsinki Rules
• The Helsinki Rules is an agreement that
international treaties must include concepts such
as ‘equitable use or share’ should be applied to
the whole drainage basin and not just one
country.
• Criteria include;
1. Natural factors
2. Downstream impacts
3. Social and economic impacts
4. Prior use
LO: Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water

6. Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water
• Often it is the player with the strongest
military, economical or political power that
takes the lions share of the water. As a result
legislation is vital
• The Colorado River has the ‘Law of the River’
which shares out water between USA and
Mexico. There are often disagreements
frequently, not least due to droughts or low
rainfall.
LO: Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water

9. History of the Colorado Basin
• Colorado Compact 1922, allocated the water rights between the different states
• 1920’s ‘law of the River’ divided the river into the Upper basin states, who had
responsibility to supply the lower states
• Over time new treaties have been signed and Mexico has also been involved
• Now there is a ‘giant plumbing system’, with more than 10 major dams to give
water to over 30 million people
• Lots of the treaties were established in the 1920’s, since then population, industry
and climate here have all changed
• Watch this video of what has happened along its course
LO: Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water

10. Why will conflict arise
here? (p49)
Hoover Dam
Phoenix – 1.5
million
residents
7 states covered :
Wyoming / Colorado
New Mexico / Arizona
California / Nevada
UtahLas Vegas 1.8
million
Mojave Desert
Salt water :
Pacific Ocean and gulf of
California
Colorado
1 of the bread basket
states
Glen Canyon Dam

11. Practice exam question
• Using named examples, assess the extent to
which conflict over water supplies is
inevitable. (15)
• Jan 2013