The Gila River, after beginning its journey high in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico, historically flowed entirely across the state of Arizona. But, like ninety percent of the Southwest United States' remaining riparian areas, it is now used up and dries out merely halfway to its former confluence with the Colorado River. Revered as sacred by ancient peoples and modern-day indigenous people alike, the history of the Gila River is the story of nearly all, modern desert rivers.