"For 6 million years, the Colorado River has gathered fresh snowmelt high in the Rocky Mountains and carried that water south for 1,450 miles (2,300 kilometers). It travels over falls and rapids, through deserts and canyons, all the while providing water to 35 million people and thousands of acres of farmland. But today the river is at risk.

The nonprofit organization American Rivers has deemed the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon the most endangered river in America in 2015. Every year, the organization highlights 10 rivers that face environmental threats and management decisions that could jeopardize their futures.

Although concerns have been raised about the health of the Colorado River over the past decade, new threats are reaching a tipping point, according to American Rivers. The Grand Canyon is threatened by a massive construction project, mining pollution and groundwater depletion — all of which will have drastic effects on the river that runs through it, the report found."

Shannon Hall reports for LiveScience April 8, 2015. [2]