This course invites students to study the rich history of water in Colorado and the American West. From the beginning, humans in the American West have had to contend with arid environments. This course begins with a look at how the Ancestral Pueblo, and other Native communities used water. Next the course treats Hispanic water management practices in the West, before finally focusing on the American approach to water management in the region. With Colorado as a focal point, the class will explore the fascinating tangle of federal, state, and local interests that led to one of the greatest hydraulic societies in the history of the world.