7388

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7388
• Author: Ohmart, R. D., B. W. Anderson and W. C. Hunter.
• Title: Ecology of the Lower Colorado River from Davis Dam to the Mexico-United States International Boundary
• USFW Year: 1988.
• USFW - Doc Type: A Community Profile.
• Copyright Material: NO

CHAPTER 2. HISTORY OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER
2.1 GENERAL HISTORY OF HUMAN USE
The lower Colorado River has a
long history of human use, from Native
Americans, Spaniards, and Anglo-
American fur trappers to modern-day
Native Americans, Hispanics, and
Anglos. Human dependence on and greed
for water has brought about many con-
flicts with the natural system of the
lower Colorado River. As refinement
of river management increased so did
modification of natural aquatic and
terrestrial habitats.
Our information on Native American
use of the fertile lower Colorado
River Valley comes primarily from the
diaries of Spanish explorers. These
earliest written records, combined
with studies by anthropologists and
bioethnologists, provide insight Into
the cultures and habits of these
riverine people (including Mohave,
Cocopah, Chemehuevi, Quechen, and
Hakhidhoma; Forde 1931; Castetter and
Bell 1951; Forbes 1965; Crowe and
Brinkeroff 1976; Kelly 1977). These
people were dependent on the annual
flooding of the lower Colorado River
to provide irrigation and new fertile
soils. Receding summer floods each
year left a wet, rich deposit of soil
and organic material in which crops
were planted. Honey mesquite pods
were also important food sources as
they contain carbohydrate- and
protein-rich beans (Figure 14). If
annual floods were not productive and
if mesquite trees did not produce a
heavy crop of beans, the indigenous
people exerted greater pressure on
native vegetation and wildlife by
Figure 14. Honey mesquite pods which,
when ripe, are important food sources
for Native Americans and wildlife.
Photo by R.D. Ohmart.
using fires to drive out food
resources such as rabbits and rodents.
The Spaniards were primarily tran-
sitory explorers seeking glory and
gold, along with dispersing the word
of God (Bolton 1936). Priests, such
as Father Eusebio Kino, entered the
Colorado River Valley during the late
1600's and early 1700's, and brought
herds of cattle, sheep, horses, mules,
and burros. Although the Spaniards
persisted for many years along the
lower Colorado River, they did little
to modify the lifestyle of the in-
digenous people. Since cattle and
horses relish mesquite pods, they
undoubtedly competed with the Indians
for this vital resource. Conflicts
between the Spanish and Indians peaked
in 1781, when the Indians attacked and
burned the crude missions along the
river near Yuma and killed most of the
15