Palmer's Picks: Essential Reading on Water in the West

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The days are getting shorter, the mercury has begun to dip, and there's no better time to curl up with a good book. This season, we asked the Palmer team to share the books that have shaped how they think about water in the West. Whether you've followed the water saga for decades or are just starting to wonder where your tap water actually comes from, this list has something for you.

Where the Water Goes

By David Owen | Recommended by Dillon O'Hare, Conservation Director, Water Program

Have you ever thought about the epic journey water takes from alpine peaks to the sea? David Owen follows the Colorado River from its headwaters to where it used to reach the sea, and the result is one of the most readable, eye-opening books on Western water. Owen has a gift for making complex water law and infrastructure feel like a road trip you actually want to take.

"It's the kind of read that makes you see water systems and infrastructure in a whole new way." – Dillon O'Hare

Fountain Creek: Big Lessons From a Little River

By Jim O'Donnell | Recommended by Steve Harris, Land Stewardship Director

For those of us who call the Pikes Peak region home, this one hits close. Jim O'Donnell traces the story of Fountain Creek, the waterway that runs through the heart of our community, weaving together environmental history, personal connection, and meticulous research into a deeply rewarding read.

"As a 30-plus-year resident of Colorado Springs who has worked extensively on regional environmental issues, I thoroughly enjoyed Jim O'Donnell's Fountain Creek: Big Lessons From A Little River. I was familiar with many of the people and stories Jim recounts, which made the book especially engaging, but his meticulous research and compelling storytelling offer valuable insights for anyone interested in the region's environmental history. Woven throughout is Jim's personal connection to Fountain Creek, which brings the story to life and makes this a truly rewarding read." – Steve Harris

Down River: Into the Future of Water in the West

By Heather Hansman | Recommended by Dillon O'Hare, Conservation Director, Water Program

Journalist Heather Hansman paddles the length of the Green River—one of the Colorado River's most vital tributaries—to explore who controls water in the West, who benefits, and who gets left behind. It's part adventure narrative, part investigative journalism, and entirely compelling. Hansman has a gift for making water law and water politics feel urgent and human, following the river through farms, cities, and tribal lands to reveal just how contested every drop has become.

"This book does something I didn't think was possible—it makes water rights feel like a page-turner. Heather Hansman paddles the Green River so you don't have to, and somehow by the end, you care deeply about the river and the people who depend on it. Highly recommend." – Dillon O'Hare

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water

By Marc Reisner | Recommended by Rebecca Jewett, President & CEO

If there's one book on this list that belongs in every Colorado household, it's this one. Written in the 1980s, Cadillac Desert is the definitive account of how the American West was built on water—and what happens when there’s not enough to go around. It reads like a thriller, and its warnings feel more urgent today than when Reisner first wrote them.

"I recently reread Cadillac Desert. I read it in college, but 20 years later, I see it through a whole new lens. It’s wild how relevant it remains despite being written in the 1980s. I HIGHLY recommend it." — Rebecca Jewett, President & CEO, Palmer Land Conservancy

The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

By Kevin Fedarko | Recommended by Wesley Trimble, Communications Manager

Part adventure story, part love letter to the Colorado River, The Emerald Mile follows a daring rowboat run through the Grand Canyon during a historic flood. Fedarko weaves together the river's history, the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, and one of the most audacious river runs ever attempted. It's the kind of book you stay up too late reading.

"The Emerald Mile might be the most exciting book ever written about a dam. It's got everything—history, adventure, a little bit of chaos, and a river that refuses to be tamed. Be warned, some of his rafting descriptions get a little too deep, but it’s worth sifting through the minutia." – Wesley Trimble

Principles of Water Resources: History, Science, Ecology, and Policy

By Thomas Cech | Recommended by Theron Verna, Water Program Manager

This one's a little different from the rest of the list—think of it less as a fireside read and more as the reference book you'll keep coming back to. Thomas Cech spent decades working in water in Colorado and has taught water courses at the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University. His book covers the history, science, policy, and future of water resources, aiming to make complex material accessible to everyday readers. If you want to go deeper on the "how" and "why" of water systems, this is your guide.

"Thomas Cech's Principles of Water Resources is great—I've used it from my time in college up to now as a reference. Cech's book dives into the history, science, policy, and future scenarios on water resources. It leans less toward storytelling and more toward education, but it's written to bring complex water topics into everyday language." – Theron Verna

Water shapes everything here.

The rivers, the farms, the wildlife, the communities—all of it depends on water. At Palmer Land Conservancy, we protect land and water for the well-being of nature and people. It's the work our team shows up to do every day.

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