Gila, << HEE luh, >> River rises in the Mogollon Mountains of New Mexico and flows west across Arizona to empty into the Colorado River near Yuma. The Gila River is 630 miles (1,014 kilometers) long. The river generates hydroelectric power. Since 1928, when Coolidge Dam was completed, farmers have used the river to irrigate large areas of land. Irrigation uses so much water that the river’s flow between Coolidge Dam and the Colorado River is disrupted. During years of especially low rainfall, this section often dries up.
