Before 100 years of development desiccated the region, the Colorado River delta extended over a million acres of estuary habitats. Today a cooperative U.S. - Mexico agreement could be a critical source of hope to this imperiled ecological jewel.
Sign our petition to urge the U.S. and Mexico to take decisive action to restore water flows to the Colorado River delta.
In 2014, thanks to these cooperative efforts, 34 billion gallons were delivered to the Colorado River delta, connecting the river to the Gulf of California for the first time in nearly two decades. This release was a major part of an agreement between the United States and Mexico known as "Minute 319."
Today, studies have found encouraging signs that the water releases sanctioned by Minute 319 are working to restore the delta's fragile ecology. Signs of hope include a resurgence of native plants and tree seedlings and an increase in both the abundance and diversity of the delta's bird life.
The Colorado River delta is home to 380 bird species. Restoring healthy riverside forests of native cottonwoods and willow trees will benefit species like the eye-catching Vermilion Flycatcher, the endangered southwestern Willow Flycatcher and threatened western Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
This life-changing agreement expires in 2017, however. Your voice will encourage officials on both sides of the border to renew and strengthen these badly needed measures.
Dear Commissioners:
Thank you for supporting restoration of the Colorado River Delta. Cooperation between the United States and Mexico to breathe life back into the long-dry delta is an all-too-rare success story on our shared border. The progress documented in the Minute 319 interim monitoring report is remarkable. It shows that a small volume of water, carefully deployed for environmental benefit, can make a tremendous difference for the ecosystem, and for the hundreds of thousands of birds that depend on it.
Climate warming is already impacting the Colorado River water supply, and the challenges ahead are daunting. It's more important than ever that we have continued cooperation between the two countries, to share water in times of drought and times of plenty, to work together on water conservation, and to restore river health. I urge you to bring negotiations on an agreement that extends and expands Minute 319 to successful resolution, and urge that you ensure this agreement includes robust commitments to water and dollars for restoration that will create a ribbon of green through the entire Colorado River corridor from Morelos Dam to the estuary.
Again, thank you for your efforts so far.
[Your comment here]
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
