Hispanic Teens Raft Colorado River to Understand Challenges, Importance

Despite the monsoon rains this summer, Arizona still faces a water supply crisis.

Last month, a group of Hispanic teens rafted the Colorado River to better understand its challenges and importance to their heritage and their future. Some of them will be in Washington tomorrow to share their findings with members of Congress. One of them, Jorge Cruz-Martinez says the lessons he learned surpassed all his expectations.

“It was way better,” Cruz-Martinez said. “There’s a lot to say—how it’s important to me and my family and to my community, and how the beauty was just outstanding, and how after I came back, I’m using the water more resourcefully.”

Cruz-Martinez says the group noticed major drops in the water level in some places and was surprised at the difference in water quality and temperature between the Colorado and the Little Colorado rivers. The trip was organized by Nuestro Rio, a coalition advocating a healthier Colorado River system.