About The Water Desk
The Water Desk is an independent, nonprofit journalism initiative with three priorities:
Water Desk news and announcements
Column: defining our scope and water journalism
The Water Desk is a new independent journalism initiative. We're starting up at a pivotal moment for both the news industry and water sector.
Building a network for water journalism
The Water Desk is building a collaborative network of media outlets that cross-publish content related to Western water issues.
Colorado River flows...
Stories and reports
Aspen joins water managers using new technologies to map mountain snowpack, predict streamflows
As a changing climate renders streamflow predictions less accurate, water managers are turning to new technologies for a clearer picture of what’s happening in their basin’s snowpack.
A feverish stream, a legion of volunteers, a $1.7 million grant. Is it enough...
Could something as simple and natural as a ragged corridor of expansive, towering shade trees help the Yampa River arm itself against climate change?
Decades later, abandoned mines continue to haunt Colorado’s waterways
According to a 2017 study, there are over 23,000 abandoned mines across Colorado and 1,800 miles of streams that are impaired due to pollutants related to acid mine drainage.
Some Western cities offer residents “cash for grass” to reduce irrigation
A study in 2016 showed that lawns are the largest irrigated crop in America.
Does cloud seeding work? Scientists watch ice crystals grow inside clouds to find out
Cloud seeding occurs in more than 50 countries, but we still don’t know whether it works.
Data viz: surveying Colorado River Basin maps
This collection of Colorado River Basin maps includes public domain images and other cartographic resources for depicting the watershed.
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Multimedia and resources for journalists
Latest multimedia content
This content is free to use and repost by media organizations and others under a Creative Commons license.
Resources
We’ve collected a series of resources that help explain the complex and sometimes contentious world of water issues.
Background readings on Western water
Here are some helpful online resources for learning more about the Colorado River Basin and Western water issues.
Glossaries
It’s hard to understand water issues unless you know the lingo. Here are some helpful water-related glossaries on the web:
Water books
Want to go deep and really learn about water issues? Here's a list of great nonfiction books...
Media and journalism
On this page you'll find a guide to water media, a Twitter list for Western water and examples of great water journalism.