From its pristine headwaters approximately fifty miles west of Creede, the Rio Grande travels 1,885 miles through three states on its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. It begins as a trickle in the high alpine San Juan Mountains, then slowly grows into a mighty torrent, carving its way through canyons of rock and open agricultural landscapes. For hundreds of years, it has played an important role for wildlife, travelers, settlers, and neighboring communities, turning this alpine valley into a lush and fertile agricultural area. The Rio Grande is the lifeblood of southern Colorado, New Mexico, and west Texas. Between Creede, Colorado, and El Paso, Texas, over ninety percent of the water is used for irrigation and five percent is used for community drinking water. It is the third longest river in North America, surpassed only by the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and for more than half its length it forms the international boundary between the United States and Mexico.