“Films like Watershed are a necessary part of the solution. Raising awareness of the problem is a first step. Engaging the masses in taking action comes next, and in this case, action means conservation.”

— Robert Redford

A dozen years after Watershed’s release, the film continues to be recognized as a blueprint for community mobilization efforts and environmental progress, and has helped galvanize over $33 million to restore 1,200+ acres of river habitat in the Colorado River Delta. Thanks to a special collaboration with the Center for Environmental Filmmaking at the American University School of Communication, we’re thrilled to share the story of this film’s impact efforts with the release of the new case study, Watershed: A Documentary that Changed the Course of the Colorado River.  

When The Redford Center released Watershed: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West on Participant Media’s PIVOT TV and then later on Netflix, the goal was to bring the declining health of the Colorado River into sharp focus, and to demonstrate the power and opportunity of returning a critical ecosystem back to health. Not only did the film raise awareness as hoped — it coalesced and helped mobilize a movement. Watershed played a pivotal role in the formation of Raise the River, a bi-national coalition of environmental organizations across the U.S. and Mexico dedicated to restoring the Colorado River Delta, which continues to use strategic storytelling to influence policies and action that drive ongoing impact today.

This case study — recently selected as a finalist in the 2024 Jackson Wild Impact Media Awards — was written and researched by Maggie Burnette Stogner and Rediet Lewi. The study showcases how Watershed underscores the profound influence that storytelling can have in creating real-world solutions to environmental challenges. We are honored that this work continues to be recognized, and we invite you to explore the case study to learn more about the historic impact of this film and the incredible efforts of the Raise the River coalition as it works to make the restored Delta ecosystems a permanent conservation zone.