Welcome to the Powell150 education and outreach site!
2019 Expedition, Then and Now
For information about the 1869 and 2019 Colorado River Exploring Expeditions, follow this link.
USGS Science Today
To learn more about the science USGS is doing today, including experiments along the route, click here.
Lessons and Activities
For lessons and activities that are related to rivers and John Wesley Powell, click here.
The USGS continues to do important science along this river system today, and to contribute information to decision-makers who are working to manage the river basin as a resource for water, recreation, and power in Western states. The focus of the education and outreach efforts surrounding the Powell150 Expedition is to inform and engage the public around the geology and ecology of rivers in general and this river system in particular and to raise public awareness of the natural resources of the Colorado River Basin and USGS science.
While the USGS marked this occasion as an opportunity to highlight the science of the Colorado River Basin, it’s important to note that indigenous people have inhabited the area for over 15,000 years, and tribes in the 19th century had a great deal of knowledge about the river and ecosystems of their homeland. Western migration by white settlers brought conflict and devastating consequences to Native peoples and their natural and cultural resources. In acknowledgment of this, we listened to Native American perspectives on river science, including traditional cultural practices, during community outreach events and discussions throughout the expedition.
