Colorado Watersheds

Colorado is a headwater state, meaning all of its rivers begin in the Rocky Mountains and flow out of the state. Colorado is composed of four regional watersheds that originate in the Rocky Mountains. The Arkansas Watershed, generally flowing east-southeast for approximately 1,460 miles before reaching the Mississippi River. The Colorado Watershed, gradually descending approximately 1,450 miles west-southwest through the Colorado Plateau before entering the Gulf of California. The South Platte Watershed is one of the arms composing the Platte Watershed. It follows a northeast course for approximately 442 miles until it joins the North Platte, forming the Platte Watershed. Flowing east-southeast for approximately 310 miles before reaching the Missouri River. The Rio Grande descends across grasslands, plains, and deserts for approximately 1,900 miles, makings its way into the Gulf of Mexico (Colorado Watershed Assembly, n.d.).

Within the four major watersheds listed above, there are seven major river basins designated as water divisions by the State of Colorado; South Platte, Arkansas, Rio Grande, Gunnison, Colorado, White-Yampa, and Doleres-San Juan. 

Colorado has more than 105,000 river miles and more than 249,000 lake acres and it supplies water to 1/3 mass land of the 48 lower states. The state of Colorado is not only beautiful but an important source of water for us all.