In 1922, seven Western states tried to settle one of America's biggest disputes: how to divide the Colorado River.
The Colorado River Compact created a framework that would help shape farms, dams, canals, cities, and entire economies across the American West. But beneath the agreement was a problem that wouldn't become fully apparent until much later—the river's long-term supply was less dependable than the numbers on paper suggested.
In this video, we explore why California's rapid growth pushed the states toward an agreement, how the Upper and Lower Basins were created, why Arizona initially refused to sign, and how an optimistic view of the Colorado's water supply became embedded in a system millions of people would eventually depend on.
We also look at how dams and reservoirs delayed the consequences, why drought and rising temperatures have intensified the problem, and how a political agreement made more than a century ago still shapes arguments over Colorado River water today.
The commissioners could divide the river legally. They couldn't control how much water nature would provide.
Seven states tried to make peace with each other in 1922. The river never signed.
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