Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River

by Eric Kuhn, John Fleck

Science Be Dammed is an alarming reminder of the high stakes in the management—and perils in the mismanagement—of water in the western United States.  It seems deceptively even when clear evidence was available that the Colorado River could not sustain ambitious dreaming and planning by decision-makers throughout the twentieth century, river planners and political operatives irresponsibly made the least sustainable and most dangerous long-term decisions.

Arguing that the science of the early twentieth century can shed new light on the mistakes at the heart of the over-allocation of the Colorado River, authors Eric Kuhn and John Fleck delve into rarely reported early studies, showing that scientists warned as early as the 1920s that there was not enough water for the farms and cities boosters wanted to build. Contrary to a common myth that the authors of the Colorado River Compact did the best they could with limited information, Kuhn and Fleck show that development boosters selectively chose the information needed to support their dreams, ignoring inconvenient science that suggested a more cautious approach.

Today water managers are struggling to come to terms with the mistakes of the past. Focused on both science and policy, Kuhn and Fleck unravel the tangled web that has constructed the current crisis. With key decisions being made now, including negotiations for rules governing how the Colorado River water will be used after 2026, Science Be Dammed offers a clear-eyed path forward by looking back.

Understanding how mistakes were made is crucial to understanding our contemporary problems. Science Be Dammed offers important lessons in the age of climate change about the necessity of seeking out the best science to support the decisions we make.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Environment, Nature, History, Economics, Education

288 pages, Hardcover

Published November 26, 2019

Reviews

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historical overview of the decision-making processes that led to the apportionment and ongoing management of Colorado River water resources among the seven Colorado River Basin states and their water users. The bottom line is that with the uncertainty of the magnitude and impacts of climate change, the long-term reliability of future water supplies from the Colorado River is very much in doubt. This is a well-written "slightly scholarly" work and will likely be most appreciated by those readers with a strong interest in water resources management in the American southwest.

[Nina Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really clear and concise explanation of how and why the Colorado River was over-allocated in the Colorado River Compact and the repercussions the basin states have faced since. The authors argue that pursuit of westward expansion that promoted economic growth through forcibly taming the natural environment in the arid west (in addition to the bureau of reclamation’s desire to execute engineering projects) led to perverse incentives among decision makers to ignore some of the available science at the time that demonstrated significantly lower estimates of the rivers flow. The book places key decisions made in historical context and explores the various incentives states, water managers, politicians, federal agencies and courts faced when navigating data interpretation and water allocation legislation.

I would fs recommend if you’re curious about the history of water in the west and how we got to the crazy place we are now! The book was occasionally repetitive, especially in the first half and was pretty badly copy edited - but was very readable and informative regardless, much more so than the other two books I’ve read on the topic - Cadillac Desert and Where the Water Goes. I would have appreciated more rigorous citations, but such is the case for most non-fic books written for mass consumption.

[Kristopher Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful introduction to the Law of the River, and particularly to the various political decisions, miscalculations, and duplicity that got us to where we are now in the Basin.

[Jen Ghigiarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much the foundational basin-scale knowledge I’ve been looking for about water in the west since I moved to Colorado 8 years ago, laid out on a timeline from the establishment of the Colorado River Compact to current. Only wish it touched on the tribal pieces a bit more.

[Justin Honsinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Slow moving and lots of numbers used that I didn't have a sense for until about halfway thru. I may want to re-read this at some point.

[Kim Bell Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of the Colorado River Compact, Hoover Dam for the Lower Basin, Lake Powell as it provides for the Upper Colorado Basin and the future, Grand Bargain, once a re-negotiation of the original 1922 compact is achieved. Thank you for the clear, unbiased understanding of our water present, and hopes for a future with less water.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved “Where the Water Goes”, by David Owen. Picked up this book to see more science behind what will drive water shortages in the Upper and Lower Colorado basins. I got a good feeling for the science and how it was overrun by the politics. It was easy to read, I would have liked a few more maps and charts to help tell the story. Now my goal is to do a road trip to see all the points along the way as I live through the imminent water crisis, given the current political divide.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic look at the river!

Full of facts, figures, and data, it really laid out how politics has gotten in the way of looking at how water in the west should be thought about.

I highly recommend this to anyone interested in western politics or water law.

[Andrew Belanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting survey of scientific data regarding the flow of the Colorado River, how it was manipulated to allocate more water, and the consequences of those decisions. Kuhn and Fleck unearth interesting documents from the early days to support their arguments.

[Hayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly detailed. I should have expected a book about water in the West to be dry. I dnf’d a third of the way in. I wanted an overview, not a graduate course on the water crisis, so I was probably not the intended audience.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never want to read "acre-feet/foot" ever again, thanks. I feel like this book is extremely repetitive and could have been an article instead. Also, the impacts of climate change are barely touched upon and that seems rather like a huge miss.

[Johnsie Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Information packed

[David Isleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good review of the history of the law of the river and Colorado River operations.

[Lani · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has good information but I found it to be a little dense and not so accessible.

[Gardner Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an excellent warning about the dangers of ignoring inconvenient science in favor of political expediency.

[Bruce Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent if not occasionally mind numbing explanation of why and how politicians ignored key science in over allocating water resources in the Colorado River drainage and why it matters.

[Skyler Singleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writers of the 1922 Colorado River Compact reading the reports that were turned into them: These reports can’t stop us because we can’t read.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many ways can you say there isn't enough water?

Well, quite a few ways it turns out.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 22 of 2021: Science Be Dammed - How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River

In 1916, the US Geological Survey published Water-Supply Paper 395 by E.C. LaRue. In this report, LaRue estimated the flow of Colorado River at Laguna Dam to be 16.2 million acre-feet per year. He concluded that there simply was not enough water to support projected growth in the basin. Over 100 years later, this has become abundantly clear.

It's been the received wisdom that the framers of the Colorado River Compact negotiated water allocations based on a wet period of record and that this was the best they had, though mistaken. The authors make it abundantly clear that scientific data and analyses showing less flow were ignored in favor of greater flow analyses for political expediency.

Modern research reveals that the flow of the Colorado is highly variable and that the region is subject to decades-long droughts. This is further exasperated by climate change effects.

This book is a scientific history of the Colorado River Compact. The authors present the science in a comprehensive and readable way. I'd strongly suggest reading this book in conjunction with Hundley's Water and the West.

I HIGHLY reccomend this book.