Behind the management and policies of the Colorado River System is a computer model...The Colorado River Simulation System (CRSS) is a continuously evolving model that has been revised and modified over a 40-year period. We talk with Dr. Kevin Wheeler who is an important interpreter and translator of the model for stakeholders. We discuss how using the model to explore alternative management strategies for the Colorado River will benefit water supply users and river ecosystems and empower more stakeholders to participate in planning the future of the river system.