About The Water Desk
The Water Desk is an independent, nonprofit journalism initiative with three priorities:
Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will...
The site where Ute Water plans to build Owens Creek Reservoir at 8,200 feet on the Grand Mesa was snow covered by mid-November. The Western Slope’s largest domestic water...
Brackish groundwater is no easy water solution for Arizona
Deep below Arizona sit large volumes of water that are less salty than the ocean, but not easily used.
If it were all pumped to the surface and purified, this brackish groundwater would supply Arizona’s water needs for a century or more. Problem is, it can’t all be pumped.
Denver Water is halfway through replacing lead pipes. Why didn’t this happen sooner?
On an early morning, a quiet Denver neighborhood was temporarily transformed into a construction zone. A boring machine on the road outside someone’s home pointed a long, thin drill...
Latest multimedia content
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Resources
We've produced and collected resources to help you learn more about Western water issues.
Cases, agreements and treaties
The legal intricacies of Western water can be difficult to wade through. This timeline offers an introduction to some key cases, agreements and treaties....
Resources: Background readings
Browse our background reading resources.
Colorado River Basin
Helpful online resources for learning more about the Colorado River Basin.
1922 Colorado River Compact
1922 Colorado River Compact Meeting...
Glossaries
It’s hard to understand water issues unless you know the lingo. Here are some helpful water-related glossaries on the web:
The U.S. Geological Survey's Dictionary...
Water books
Want to go deep and really learn about water issues? Here's a list of great nonfiction books on (Western) water issues, curated by Mitch...
Media and journalism
On this page you'll find a guide to water media and examples of great water journalism. Have a suggestion for a story or outlet...