Building the Vision
Taylor, Aspinall, and Water for Western Colorado
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Edward Taylor (pictured above with Secretary of Interior Harold Ickes) represented what he liked to call “the Big Fourth,” Colorado’s 4th Congressional District comprised of 22 Western Slope counties. In commemoration of Taylor’s advocacy for western Colorado’s water, Taylor Park Reservoir located in the Upper Gunnison River Basin (below), was dedicated in his name in 1937.
By Steven C. Schulte
solated, geographically-challenging, a region of high peaks, mountain valleys, plateaus and low deserts, Colorado’s Western Slope is filled with magnificent history—from the legacy of the Ute Indians to fantastic mining rushes. According to most estimates, 60 to 75 percent of the water in the Colorado River originates in the high mountains of the Western Slope. Mountain streams quickly move water down from the region’s 14,000-foot peaks. Yet by the time the rivers reach the lower desert regions of the Colorado–Utah state line, they are whittled away by intense summer heat, evaporation, and massive irrigation diversions. Not surprisingly, control and manipulation of water is at the center of Western Colorado’s political culture. While relatively rich in water, the Western Slope is poor in population compared to other parts of the state. Though the high mountains act as catch-basins for tremendous amounts of water, historically, the Western Slope has had a difficult time retaining this precious substance for its own use due to lack of political clout. Two political leaders more than any other have reflected the Western Slope’s attempt to grapple with its water problems: Edward T. Taylor and Wayne N. Aspinall. Both were products of the irrigation pioneers–that first generation of settlers who benefited directly from the region’s commitment to irrigated agriculture. Both men enjoyed long careers in state and national politics, serving in state government and as congressmen for the Western Slope. Both also rose to power through a combination of political skill and longevity, and
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exerted enormous influence on local and national water policy. By examining the careers of these two leaders, 75 years of Colorado’s 20th century water history can be illuminated.
Edward T. Taylor
Edward T. Taylor, known today as one of the giants of Colorado political history, was first lured to Colorado with tales of booming mine towns and pioneer independence. Born in Illinois in 1858, Taylor ventured to Colorado in 1881, moving to the rowdy mining town of Leadville where he served for two years as the town’s first high school principal. Thinking that perhaps law might be an easier profession, in 1884 Taylor obtained a law degree from the University of Michigan and went on to hold a series of political offices in the Glenwood Springs area, as well as serving in the Colorado State Senate from 1896 to