Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A major river in the southwestern United States: The Colorado River is a significant river system that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and flows southwest through Utah, Arizona (including through the Grand Canyon), Nevada, and along the border between California and Arizona before entering Mexico and emptying into the Gulf of California. It is a primary water source for the southwestern U.S.
   • A river in Texas: A separate river, also named the Colorado River, located entirely within Texas, flowing southeast and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Southwestern U.S. river):
  • The Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years.
  • Water from the Colorado River is allocated to several states under a complex legal agreement.
• Proper noun (Texas river):
  • Austin, the capital of Texas, is situated on the Colorado River.
  • The Colorado River in Texas provides water for agriculture and hydroelectric power.

Advanced Usage

• "Law of the River": Refers to the extensive body of laws, treaties, and regulations governing the allocation and use of the Colorado River's water in the southwestern U.S.
  • Navigating the Law of the River is essential for water management in the basin.
• "Colorado River Compact": A 1922 agreement among seven U.S. states that apportioned the river's water.
  • The Colorado River Compact divided the river's flow between upper and lower basin states.

Variants and Related Words

• Colorado (Proper noun): The U.S. state where the Southwestern river originates.
• Colorado River Basin (Noun phrase): The entire geographical area drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries.
  • The Colorado River Basin covers parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states.

Synonyms

• Watercourse: A general term for a river or stream. (e.g., )
• River system: Refers to the main river and all its tributaries. (e.g., )

Related Phrases

• "To raft the Colorado": To go white-water rafting on the Colorado River, especially through the Grand Canyon.
  • Their dream is to raft the Colorado through the Grand Canyon.
• "Colorado River Delta": The region where the river meets the Gulf of California in Mexico.
  • Efforts are underway to restore the Colorado River Delta ecosystem.

Noun

1. an important river in the southwestern United States; rises in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and flows southwest through Utah into Arizona (where it flows through the Grand Canyon) and then southward through the southern tip of Nevada, then forming the border between California and Arizona and finally into Mexico where it empties into the Gulf of California; the main source of water in the southwestern United States
2. a river in Texas; flows southeast into the Gulf of Mexico