No Water, No Life. Without water from the Colorado River, cities like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Diego would not exist as we know them. It turns out that when the flow of the Colorado River was divided between seven U.S. states and Mexico, more water was promised to each player than actually exists in the river.

Photographer John Trotter has been documenting the Colorado River and the downstream effects that damming the river has had on people and the environment. His project explores the perception of the river as a seemingly unlimited, plentiful resource, as well as the consequences of this belief.

This exhibit is sponsored by the U-M LSA Winter 2011 Water Theme Semester, the University Library, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Latino/a Studies.