One hundred years ago...flocks of birds beat the air.
Muskrats dive and swim. Slinking through cattails, a jaguar shimmers
in morning light. Trees crowd the delta shore. Water is tonic and home,
and a vehicle for transport of sediment, nutrients, and life.
Today the forests are gone, the jaguars too. The once thriving Colorado
River delta is a shadow of its former self. Travel up the river and discover
the cause.
Thirsty cities, like San Diego, are surrounded by arid lands. Pipelines
carry river water to cities, and the once mighty Colorado trickles into
the upper gulf. Yet the delta, tested through millenia, is adapted to
drought. Pockets of habitat hang on, awaiting the opportunity that comes
with flood. Will we share the river?
In the Future Exhibits
- See the delta as it was one hundred years ago, and watch the scene transform to what it is today.
- Control the flow of water to Southern California, and see how much is left for the delta and gulf.
- Play with a water budget and compare costs of leaks, lawns, laundry, and tee time.
- Invent water-saving solutions.
Habitat Journey | Ocean | Coast | Shrublands | Mountains | Mine Tunnel | Rainshadow Desert | Colorado River Delta | Midriff Islands | Gulf of California | Central Desert | Cape Region
Future Permanent
Exhibits | Exhibits
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