When Colorado River withdrawals were first allocated among the river basin’s seven states in 1922 the river held 17.5 million acre-feet (5.7 trillion gallons) of water per year. However today we know that there is substantially less water available than that because they measured the river flow during a wet time period.

Question

When Colorado River withdrawals were first allocated among the river basin’s seven states in 1922 the river held 17.5 million acre-feet (5.7 trillion gallons) of water per year.  However today we know that there is substantially less water available than that because they measured the river flow during a wet time period.

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The statement presents a historical fact about the 1922 Colorado River allocations and contrasts it with current water availability, so we need to evaluate its truth.
Option 1: True. The core idea is that the 1922 allocations were based on measurements taken during a wetter-than-average period, which overestimated the river’s long-term flow. In the decades since, flow has declined due to drought, increased demand, and longer-term climate variability, so today there is substantially less water available than 17.5 million acre-feet per year. This aligns with how water managers often point out that early flow estimates were inflated by unusual wet conditions, leading to allocations that overstate sustainable supply.
Option 2: False. This would assert that today there is not substantially less water than in 1922 or that the 1922 measurement was representative of typical conditions. This conflicts with widespread evidence and understanding that the river’s long-term yield is lower than the optimistic wet-period figure used for early allocations, and that drought and climate change have reduced available water in many recent years. Saying there isn’t less water today ignores documented hydrological trends and the basis for revised water management policies in the basin.
In summary, the premise relies on the distinction between a one-time wet-period measurement versus long-term, representative flow, and the current condition reflects reduced availability compared to the 1922 figure. Therefore, Option 1 (True) correctly captures this nuance, while Option 2 (False) rests on an inaccurate claim about current versus historical water availability.

SSM 3301 (001) 9) Week 9 Quiz - Balance Human and Ecosystem Water Needs

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