The Arid Lands and Legacy of John Wesley Powell

Includes showing rough-cut film of 2019 commemoration trip of John Wesley Powell 1869 Colorado River trip, followed by comments from Daniel McCool, University of Utah, and Paul Hirt, Arizona State University. Sponsored by the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition project (Powell150.org). The 150th anniversary of the Colorado River Exploring Expedition offers an opportunity to once again begin a systematic and deliberate expedition into the unexplored territory of Western economies, politics, and ideologies as they relate to the water resources of the Colorado River Basin. Powell was able to travel through a continuous, natural riparian ecosystem. This experience is no longer possible, as the system is now separated into two basins, with three major dams, 15 management areas, and over 20 significant laws governing the allocation of Colorado River water. Because of these major differences, this expedition is not a reenactment of the past, but rather a re-envisioning of our future that engages traditional, historic, and contemporary river ecosystem perspectives to derive proactive management strategies, integrating community values, science, and humanities through an analysis of culture, informed management, and traditional ecological knowledge. This event is part of the 15th Biennial Conference of Science and Management for the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region.