The Colorado River crosses seven states and Mexico and is 1,450 miles long – the sixth longest in the nation according to river conservation organization American Rivers. More than a natural spectacle, the river supplies drinking water for one in 10 Americans and just half of the river water nourishes nearly 90% of the nation’s winter vegetable crops. But the constant demand means the river also faces aridification and overconsumption. Here’s everything you need to know about the river many call the “lifeline of the Southwest.”