Focus on Gila, Last Free Flowing River in NM

Silver City, NM – July 25 marks the 93nd anniversary of the day the Colorado River was officially re-named from the "Grand" to the "Colorado." Silver City will be one of 5 western cities hosting a celebratory event and day of action as part of Colorado River Day, a region-wide movement to honor the waterway that serves as the backbone of the West's economy and a critical drinking source for millions.

In its third year, the event focuses on the full spectrum of cities and local communities in the basin addressing water challenges in their respective regions and states, working in collaboration to solve basin-wide challenges. Their combined efforts are aimed at connecting all "pieces of the puzzle", collectively resulting in a healthy flowing Colorado River system that powers the Western outdoor recreation economy, provides ample water for agriculture and satisfies the needs of municipalities and consumers across the basin

WHEN: Friday, July 25, 2014 at 1:30 - 6:00 pm

WHERE: Gough Park, North Pope Street, Silver City, New Mexico

WHAT & WHO: Afternoon of Activities with State and Local Government Leaders and Community Partners with a Focus on Protecting the Gila River

1:30 – 1:45 Welcoming Remarks – Rudy Martinez, NM State Representative;

1:45 – 2:00 Overview of Colorado River Day with Robert Apodaca, Nuestro Rio and Manuel Chavez, Nuestro Rio Youth Leadership Program

2:00 – 2:15 Importance of Preserving our Water – Bishop Cantu, Diocese of Las Cruces, Nuestro Rio Youth Leadership, and Hispanic Access Foundation

2:15 – 6:00 Colorado River Activities – Wellness Coalition; Music; Messages from:
· Mark Cantrell, Lone Mountain Natives

· Jim Macintosh, Gila Conservation Education Center

· Allison Siwik, Gila Resource Information Project

Water is arguably the most important issue in the SW. Be there for the water news that matters in NM.

WHY COLORADO RIVER DAY
The Colorado River and its tributaries runs through seven states (AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, UT, WY) supplies drinking water for 40 million Americans. The river system irrigates 15% of our nation's crops, and facilitates recreation that adds up to $26 billion annually and supports a quarter million American jobs.

According to the Department of Interior's Colorado River Basin Study, demand on the river's water now exceeds supply, and the imbalance will become larger in the next 50 years. The study concluded that the most cost effective and easily implementable way to address the imbalance is to improve urban and agricultural water conservation and similar measures that focus on efficiency and flexibility. On July 25, representatives from local and regional groups will come together in a unified movement to offer local solutions across the 7 basin states that will most efficiently resolve the predicted basin-wide gap in supply and demand.

The Animas, La Plata, Mancos, Navajo and San Juan rivers are all Colorado River tributaries that flow through New Mexico. Over one million New Mexicans depend on the Colorado River system for drinking water, and the San Juan River irrigates 100,000 acres of farm land in the state. Recreation on Colorado River tributaries in New Mexico results in nearly $1.7 billion in total economic output annually and supports over 17,000 jobs in the state. www.ColoradoRiverDay.com