As Precious As Blood : The Western Slope in Colorado's Water Wars, 1900-1970

The diversion of water from Colorado's Western Slope to meet the needs of the rest of the state has been a contentious issue throughout Colorado's history. The source of Colorado's water is in the snow that accumulates west of the Continental Divide, but the ever-growing population on the Front Range continues to require more municipal water. In __As Precious as Blood__, Steven C. Schulte examines the water wars between these two regions and how the western part of the state fits into Colorado's overall water story, expanding the account of water politics he began in __Wayne Aspinall and the Shaping of the American West__. Slow to build its necessary water infrastructure and suffering from a small population, little political power, and distance from sources of capital, the Western Slope of Colorado has struggled to maintain its water supply in the face of challenges from the Eastern Slope as well as from surrounding states. Schulte explains in detail the reasons, rationalizations, and resources involved in the multimillion-dollar dams and reclamation projects that divert much-needed water to the Front Range and elsewhere. He draws from archives, newspapers, and oral histories to show the interrelationships among twentieth-century Colorado water law, legislators from across the state, and powerful members of congress from the Western Slope, who have influenced water policy throughout the American West. __As Precious as Blood__ provides context for one of the most contentious legal, political, and economic periods in the state's history. Schulte puts a human face on Colorado's water wars by exploring their social and political dimensions alongside the technical and scientific perspectives. The diversion of water from Colorado's Western Slope to meet the needs of the rest of the state has been a contentious issue throughout Colorado's history. The source of Colorado's water is in the snow that accumulates west of the Continental Divide, but the ever-growing population on the Front Range continues to require more municipal water. InAs Precious as Blood, Steven C. Schulte examines the water wars between these two regions and how the western part of the state fits into Colorado's overall water story, expanding the account of water politics he began inWayne Aspinall and the Shaping of the American West. Slow to build its necessary water infrastructure and suffering from a small population, little political power, and distance from sources of capital, the Western Slope of Colorado has struggled to maintain its water supply in the face of challenges from Colorado's Eastern Slope and even different states. Schulte explains in detail the reasons, rationalizations, and resources involved in the multimillion-dollar dams and reclamation projects that divert much-needed water to the Front Range and elsewhere. He draws from archives, newspapers, and oral histories to show the interrelationships among twentieth-century Colorado water law, legislators from across the state, and powerful members of congress from the Western Slope, who have influenced water policy throughout the American West. As Precious as Bloodprovides context for one of the most contentious legal, political, and economic periods in the state's history. Schulte puts a human face on Colorado's water wars by exploring their social and political dimensions alongside the technical and scientific perspectives A Comprehensive Study About The Contentious Issue Of The Water Wars Between Colorado's Western Slope--where Snows Accumulate West Of The Continental Divide--and The Front Range, Where The Ever-expanding Population Continues To Require More Municipal Water--provided By Publisher. Colorado's Water : A Problem Rooted In Geography And History -- Colorado's Water Wars Begin, 1920-1940 -- Portents Of Mid-century Conflict, 1940-1950 -- The Struggle For The Crsp -- Water Wars At Zenith, 1953-56 -- Into The 1960s : A Tenuous Unity -- A New Age Of War And Peace -- Epilogue : The View From Western Colorado. Steven C. Schulte. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.