The Yuma East Wetlands were shaped by the lower Colorado River, which supported pristine cottonwood and willow gallery forests, mesquite bosques, wetlands, inter-tidal salt flats, and lakes dependent on annual floods for their existence. The area provided a rich seasonal harvest of wild plant and animal foods and could be cultivated with ease, while the river once had the ability to regenerate naturally. Originally, this highly variable flowing river served both as a barrier and as a conduit for trade and travel, and various Native American tribes settled and farmed the fertile lands. At the same time, the untamed Colorado River flooded frequently, with channels stretching 24 km across, and its wild, uncontrollable floods demolished homes, took lives, and repeatedly left the community to rebuild and overcome.