Killing the Colorado

Killing the Colorado is a gripping and ambitious documentary series aired on the Discovery Channel in 2016. Produced by Academy Award-winning actor Robert Redford, this enlightening three-part series uncovers the heart-breaking truth about the American West's crippling water crisis - an issue that's much more complex and disconcerting than one might initially believe.

The central point highlighted in Killing the Colorado is the distressing transformation of the once mighty Colorado River. Once an unencumbered force winding its way through the rugged terrain of the Western United States, the Colorado now struggles to reach its natural end at the Gulf of California. Mankind's insatiable demand for water, exacerbated by poor management, unpredictable climate changes, and explosive population growth have choked the life out of this once-vibrant waterway leading to dire environmental consequences.

The documentary deftly navigates between the historical perspectives and contemporary implications entwined in the water drama of the American West. It explores how decisions made decades ago, concerning water rights and dam-building have contributed to the current crisis, and how the layers of political maneuvering and deadlocked legal battles risk exacerbating rather than alleviating the issue.

Viewers are presented with personal stories of American citizens from every walk of life who are fiercely impacted by this crisis - from farmers struggling to keep their crops alive, homeowners wrestling with skyrocketing prices, to the businesses grappling with the dilemma of continuing their operations amid scarcity. Where the arid landscapes of the West were once seen as a challenge to be overcome, the citizens now feel the brunt of their forebears' ambitions, with the cost of taming the West for human habitation becoming alarmingly clear.

Killing the Colorado features interviews with farmers, municipal leaders, respected scientists, and renowned water experts. These insiders provide their perspectives on the roots, ramifications, and potential solutions to the crisis. The series showcases best-case scenarios and the worst-case realities, balanced by the examination of innovative solutions and technologies that could help solve the water crisis in the long run.

The show makes adept use of sweeping and powerful cinematography that is a mainstay of Discovery Channel productions. The cameras trace the parched expanses of farmland, reduced to dust bowls, and the visibly reduced Colorado River, tugging at the viewer's heartstrings and underlining the enormity of the environmental disaster. Furthermore, the interweaving of visual storytelling with expert commentary makes the narrative not just compelling but also informative and educative.

However, the documentary also unveils the harsh truth that this is not a localized issue. It underscores that the Colorado River sustains seven states, including cities such as Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Therefore, the dwindling supply puts nearly 40 million Americans at risk, affecting both the public water supply and irrigation for millions of acres of farmland. Consequently, the debacle of the Colorado is a severe national crisis that amplifies the broader implications of water scarcity worldwide.

Killing the Colorado isn’t simply a commentary on the lamentable state of affairs of a significant river system. The documentary unveils how the essence of complexity in the water scarcity crisis is rooted profoundly in a confusing, multicultural tangle of historical, legal, and political wrangling, associated with a wealth of innocent misconceptions, optimistic assumptions, grim realities, and hard choices for the future.

An essential guide, Killing the Colorado, is an investigative adventure into the world of water scarcity, political intrigues, and survival stories against the backdrop of one of nature's most dramatic settings. The series, while calling immediate attention to this escalating problem, triggers a conversation about preserving our most precious resource – water.

Steeped in transparency and unfiltered reality, Killing the Colorado perfectly blends entertainment with education, creating an impacting documentary series that sensitizes the viewers about an impending disaster. By shedding light on historical decisions and their unintended aftermath, while highlighting innovative solutions, it inspires viewers to become part of the solution rather than the problem. It’s truly an awe-inspiring eye-opener that reframes the narrative about the environment and resource management in the viewer's mind long after the screen fades to black.