A River No More: The Colorado River and the West

by Philip L. Fradkin

Here is the definitive history of the development of the Colorado River and the claims made on its waters, from its source in the Wyoming Rockies to the California and Arizona borders where, so saline it kills plants, it peters out just short of the Gulf of California. Ever increasing demands on the river to supply cities in the desert render this new edition all too timely. Philip Fradkin has updated this valuable book with a new preface.

Genres: Westerns, History, Environment, Science, Nonfiction, Politics, Ecology

360 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 1996

About the author

Philip L. Fradkin is an American environmentalist historian, journalist and author. Fradkin has authored books ranging from Alaska, California and Nevada, with topics ranging from water conservation, earthquakes, and nuclear weapons.

In 2005, Fradkin was given the Californiana Award by the Commonwealth Club of California.

Reviews

[Brandon Pytel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm getting to the point where all the books I read on the Western water crisis are running together. Nonetheless, Fradkin's book deserves its place on the shelf. A good compliment to other books like Cadillac Desert or Where the Water Goes, A River No More may not be the most exciting read, but it ties together politics, culture, history, and the environment in an informative, and sometimes personal, journey with the author. Fradkin does a good job in outlining the watershed, the tributaries that feed into the Colorado River, and the upper and lower basin states, plus the decisions that went into making these territories. He also dives into the history of the West, the boom and bust nature, the rural renaissance, the Mormons and the Indians, the contradiction of federally financed projects and the rugged individualism of the American West. The settling of the West was a search for energy, a dream, a lifestyle. But all that requires water, which there isn't a lot of. By the time the Reclamation came through with all their damming projects to support this population, the river's salinity had increased so much that Mexico could hardly use it. That's really the central argument of this book. We've supported a population unnaturally, and the proof is in the pudding, specifically in the Colorado River. Great, accessible book for Western water lovers.

[Zack Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look at the Colorado River as it stood in the early 1970s. Does a fantastic job showing the long and complicated history of the river.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, yet somewhat depressing, this book describes the mighty Colorado River, and how it has been dammed into submission, reused for irrigation to the point of lethal salinity, and argued over by countless politicians who want more water for business than the river has to give. Between historical and socio-political discourses, Fradkin describes his own experiences of the river on foot, in camp, and by kayak and wooden dory.

A major theme explored is land use, particularly the water- and land-wasting practice of using 85% of Colorado River irrigation to grow crops that are subsequently fed to cattle, and how such cattle trample and make wasteland of much of the arid West.

I read the first edition, published 1981. One major topic contemporary to that date is how Jimmy Carter sought to revise Western water politics for more sustainable use--and how he was rebuffed by politicians with vested interests. (Notably he did not carry a single Western state in his bid for reelection.) I would like to read the second edition for political and social updates--only the first edition in my local library, so I'll need to look further afield.

[Zack Anchors · Rating 3 out of 5]

This history of the Colorado River offers a detailed account of the politics of water in the West -- the stuggles between the BLM, Indians, Mormons, booming metro centers and powerful congressmen over who has the right to harness and consume the dwindling flow of the river. Fradkin also describes his own adventures on the river. He traces the tributaries -- the Green, Gila, San Jaun and Colorado -- to their sources, tours the Glen Canyon dam, rafts the Grand Canyon, hikes here and there, etc. John Wesley Powell's presence is everywhere, and other colorful characters are plentiful. Fradkin doesn't quite manage to tell the story of the politics of the Colorado in a very readable way, but that's a tall order: It's so incredibly complex, bureaucratic and, in many ways, mundane. But it's also incredibly important to remember, and I like that Fradkin shows that the every drop of water flowing down the river has been thoroughly politicized and commodofied.

[Kev · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading "Beyond the 100th Meridian" this is the one to read. Understanding the arid West's Powellian water politics & "growth" in a desert environment is essential to understanding Global Chaotic Climage Change's impact on the American West.

Powell's forward-thinking pragmatism & scientific insight is both prescient & genius.

If you love environmentalism & sustainable ecoligical deep economics than then read this. It's important.

[Roger]

Yes, another book on water in the West. You water-logged easterners just don't understand. gotta read up for the new job.

[Malcolm Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will really wake you up to what we've done to a magnificent natural wonder.

[Sean Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got halfway through (to page 200 or so) and couldn't follow it well. I got lost in the story.