Grab your ticket now for the return of our in-person Lower Colorado River Tour March 16-18!

In the centennial year of the 1922 Colorado River Compact that established a framework for management of the river, the tour will take participants from Hoover Dam downstream to the Mexican border and through the Imperial and Coachella valleys to learn firsthand about the challenges and opportunities now facing the “Lifeline of the Southwest” a hundred years later.

The Foundation continues to monitor developments with COVID-19 and anticipates a return to low levels of infection rates by the tour start date based on current projections. For the health and safety of our partners, participants and staff, all appropriate COVID-19 protocols will be followed during the tour. Visit the tour page for more details.

Today, some 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico, including more than 4 million acres of farmland in the river’s basin, rely on the the river to sustain their cities, wildlife areas and farms. As the tour weaves its way downstream, participants will learn about the important role the river’s water plays in the three Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California.

Participants will: 

• Tour Hoover Dam, one of the nation’s most iconic structures, and get the latest hydrology update on Lake Mead’s levels and operations
• Enjoy a scenic journey on the river through portions of the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, including Topock Gorge and the Havasu Wilderness Area
• Hear firsthand from urban water managers for Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas, as well as farmers in the major agricultural regions of the Palo Verde, Imperial and Coachella valleys about how they manage their water supplies
• Learn about restoration efforts at the Salton Sea, California’s largest inland body of water and an important stop on the Pacific Flyway, including a visit to the site of the state’s Species Conservation Habitat Project

This three-day, two-night tour begins in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 16 and ends at California’s Ontario International Airport on Friday, March 18. 

Register here by Feb. 18 to take advantage of our “early bird” discount. Participants also have the option of starting the tour on the afternoon of March 15 in Ontario, where you can catch a ride on the tour bus to Las Vegas. Just choose the “California Option” when registering.

Contact Programs Director Nick Gray via email with any questions.