The Green River, the Dolores River, and the San Juan River flow into the Colorado River. The Colorado River ultimately feeds into which body of water?

• A. Arctic Ocean
• B. Pacific Ocean
• C. Gulf of California
• D. Atlantic Ocean

Answer: (C)

Understanding where a river ends helps connect how watersheds feed larger systems. After the Green, Dolores, and San Juan rivers join the Colorado River, the river travels through the American Southwest and into northwestern Mexico, where it finally drains into the Gulf of California. The Gulf of California is the northern arm of the Pacific Ocean, so the Colorado River’s waters ultimately reach the Pacific via this gulf. This end point is distinct from the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, or the Gulf of Mexico, which are not the downstream recipient of this river system.