Death of a River – The Colorado River Delta

-Alexandra Cousteau

Rating: ****

Death of a River – The Colorado River Delta was a very informative video. I found it to be one of the most thought provoking documentaries I have seen.
In this video, Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of Jacques Cousteau, takes a team of videographers, writers and photographers to explore the tragedy that is affecting the Colorado River. The Colorado River was once a great body of water that stretched from the Grand Canyon in Arizona to the Sea of Cortez in the Gulf of Mexico. However, in the last 50 years, the river has only reached the sea a few times. Ninety percent of the river`s water is being used by the seven states north of the Mexican border. The remaining water is used by major Mexican cities, such as Mexicali and Tijuana. This has greatly affected the wildlife that was once thriving in the Delta Wetlands. Fish from the sea used to travel up the river to spawn.

This documentary has really made me think about how mankind is affecting nature. Many species of birds and fish have already left, many of them permanently. Local fisheries have been forced out of business and local communities have collapsed. If we, the human race, do not stop and take a hard look at what we are doing and how it affects the World, many more species of animals and plants will be lost forever.

This is a video that I recommend to watch. It is one that will make you stop and think about changes that you could make in your own life to help make a difference.

Expedition Blue Planet: North America-Death of a River – The Colorado River Delta. 2010. Web. <http://explore-mag.com/1421/adventure/alexandra-cousteau-saving-rivers-2>. 2 January 2012.