Health of the Colorado River vital to the west

- Sometimes referred to as the American Nile, the Colorado River is the lifeline for the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. That means the health of the river is vitally important. “The biggest concern with the Colorado River is just how many people are depending on the water,” Conservation Colorado’s Scott Braden told Lisa Hidalgo on recent raft trip on the river through Glenwood Springs. Braden said that while the Colorado River only flows on the western side of the continental divide in Colorado, about half of the water used on the east side, specifically the metro area, comes from the river. Colorado River: Lifeline of the West airs Saturday, August 5 at 6:30pm on Denver 7 with an encore presentation on Sunday, August 6 at 2pm.