The Importance of the Continental Divide

Much of the water in the US comes from the Rocky Mountains, so mineral mines nearby must take extra precautions not to pollute the drinking water of milllions.
From the Series: Aerial America: Colorado bit.ly/2xDK7ct

[@SmithsonianChannel]

Did you know that one-quarter of all drinking water in the US originates in the Rocky Mountains?
Rocky Mountain Drinking Water
Learn more tonight at 8 PM on Aerial America: Colorado

[@SinCityRaider81]

Fun Fact: Colorado also has 52 14ers the most of any US Sate.

[@alanstrong3295]

I saw this place. Even bought a post card.

[@coltonxavier]

Uh....Mount Elbert is not on the divide....Grays Peak would be the highest point on the divide

[@OriginalVirtuoso]

The Smithsonian sucks...

[@42freeland]

Someone at the Smithsonian needs to open a map and notice that Mount Elbert is not on the Contential Divide. The mountain is fully on the East side of the divide. Oh and also that mine has basically been closed since the mid 80's., and only recently have they discussed reopening it.

[@rileygarneys1237]

Is it not clear from the video that the mine is fully operational? Are all those vehicles and people just hanging out? Are you suggesting the drone footage was shot in the 80's?

[@MichaelOdomwest16thAve]

The mountain is in a range that makes up part of the divide, it’s all family when you’re talking about massive earth forming/changing areas. It’s definitely part of the divide because that’s how it was created.

[@philsanderson7024]

@@MichaelOdomwest16thAve - no the entire Sawatch Range is east of the divide. However, there's an unnamed peak along the Mt. Massive massif called PT 14,169 (take a wild guess on its elevation) that straddles the Continental Divide. The only two official 14ers that lie along the divide are Grays Peak and Torreys Peak - both being part of the Front Range.

[@elvinferrelljr.5266]

They made a movie about this starring John Astin.

[@ronaldpellet854]

Must have been exciting

[@Ndizzyinthehizzy]

So Colorado is the biggest Molly producer in the world?

[@KingOfKingz911]

not like thath haha

[@TheWizardGamez]

at least someone else caught that. i thought i was weird

[@wakeupfromfacebook8214]

We roll hard down here boii

[@kevinwillingham901]

Looks to me like it's already been polluted

[@ronaldpellet854]

Sounds safe ahahahaha oh sure safe until omg it leached into the ground water

[@johnarizona3820]

Is that bentonite clay to line the ponds?

[@tonymontana9858]

Represent ing mount Elbert, on the map

[@burtthekoolkid3603]

I went to the Yellowstone one

[@dasheight203]

So that’s how Molly is made 🎉

[@JenMarco]

It’s flat