Green lawns and golf courses are often blamed for the growing water crisis in the West. But, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis says the real culprit is beef, cows eating alfalfa in a place where neither belongs - the Colorado River Basin. Davis uncovers other surprising things as he follows the Colorado literally and figuratively in his new book, River Notes. He hopes rafters will carry it with them, not as a definitive guide, but as a series of observations to ponder.
[Photo: Wade Davis]
The Paiute song heard in the radio segment is from the documentary film the Salt Song Trail, and is used courtesy of The Cultural Conservancy.
