In 1998, ASU Professor Dave White, then a social sciences graduate student (pictured above), set out to raft the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park. The experience inspired passion and bolstered his commitment to ensure the sustainability of the lifeblood of the American West — the Colorado River.
Nearly two decades later, the Colorado River faces its most significant challenges in the form of a drought, climate insecurity and the overallocation of its water to seven U.S. states and Mexico.
How do we navigate the rapids of water management without capsizing under growing demand? White, who directs ASU’s Decision Center for a Desert City and is a professor in the School of Community Resources and Development, explains how to stay afloat.
White's talk is part of the ASU KEDtalks series. Short for Knowledge Enterprise Development talks, KEDtalks aim to spark ideas, indulge curiosity, and inspire action by highlighting ASU scientists, humanists, social scientists and artists who are driven to find solutions to the universe’s grandest challenges. Tune in monthly to research.asu.edu/kedtalks to discover how the next educational revolution will come about, whether space is the next economic frontier and more.
More Environment and sustainability
ASU fire expert Stephen Pyne on learning to live alongside fire
Stephen Pyne is having a busy retirement. On top of caring for chickens, sheep and citrus on his urban farm in Queen Creek, Arizona, the Arizona State University professor emeritus is being called on…
New interdisciplinary research highlights wildfire impacts on water and ecosystems in arid regions
As wildfires increasingly threaten arid regions, a new conceptual framework developed by a team of researchers offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between fire, water quality and ecosystem…
Stanton urges bipartisan, national action on Colorado River water
Time is running out to determine the future of the depleted Colorado River, and any further delays in negotiating a deal could be catastrophic, according to U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton.Stanton, who…