The Colorado River is one of the most significant waterways within the United States. Providing water, power, and recreational space to seven American states, the river has its humble beginnings within the Rocky Mountain National Park in the state of Colorado.

From snow covered mountains, the Colorado flows south through Utah and Arizona, defining the borders of California, Nevada, Arizona, and eventually crossing into Mexico and emptying into the Gulf of California.

Over thousands of years, native peoples, early Spanish conquistadors -- including members of the 1540 Coronado expedition-- and American settlers, used the Colorado River for agriculture, exploration, and trade.

In 1869, Major John Wesley Powell became the first American to explore the river as well as the first American to navigate the Grand Canyon by boat.

The river flows through Grand Canyon National Park on its way toward the massive Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams. Since their completion, these engineering marvels provide electrical power to large portions of the region. Conversely, studies have exposed significant environmental consequences to the ecosystem from damming the once free-flowing river.

Although the seven U.S. States within the Colorado River basin have reached agreements regarding water, electricity, and land use rights, many contend that American development along the river has overlooked Mexican interests, resulting in detrimental environmental impacts within their country.

Although opinions differ regarding current and future usages for the river, all agree that the Colorado has served a critical role in the historical and environmental development of the American West and is among the most significant rivers within the United States.

Podcast Written and Narrated by Paul Gunter, Public History Student at the University of West Florida.