About The Water Desk
The Water Desk is an independent, nonprofit journalism initiative with three priorities:
Stories and reports
Snow can disappear straight into the atmosphere in hot, dry weather
Scientists are exploring how droughts can lead to chronically dry soil that sucks up more water than normal in the American West.
Colorado reaches settlement on Chatfield Reservoir environmental water plan
Colorado water officials have reached a settlement removing one of the last barriers to a new water program in Chatfield Reservoir.
Demand management discussions continue amid worsening Colorado River crisis
The crisis on the Colorado River is not waiting for the state of Colorado to develop a program to avoid water shortages.
Water Desk news and grant announcements
Studying the snowpack in a changing climate – Water Buffs Podcast ep. 5 – Noah...
The snowpack is crucial to the West’s water supply, ecosystems and economy. But climate change threatens to make the region’s snowpack thinner and less reliable. We talk to a leading snowpack researcher about how scientists are analyzing the past, present and future of the West’s snow.
Introducing the Water Buffs podcast
The Water Buffs Podcast is officially launching on YouTube, Vimeo and most podcast platforms on August 12th, 2020
Special Series: Crisis on the Colorado
The Water Desk is pleased to republish this outstanding five-part series by Jim Robbins and Ted Wood for Yale Environment 360.
Crisis on the Colorado Part I: The West’s Great River Hits Its Limits– Will...
As the Southwest faces rapid growth and unrelenting drought, the Colorado River is in crisis, with too many demands on its diminishing flow. Now those who depend on the river must confront the hard reality that their supply of Colorado water may be cut off.
Crisis on the Colorado Part II: On a Water-Starved River, Drought Is the New...
With the Southwest locked in a 19-year drought and climate change making the region increasingly drier, water managers and users along the Colorado River are facing a troubling question: Are we in a new, more arid era when there will never be enough water?
Crisis on the Colorado Part III: Running Dry– New Strategies for Conserving Water
Communities along the Colorado River are facing a new era of drought and water shortages that is threatening their future. With an official water emergency declaration now possible, farmers, ranchers, and towns are searching for ways to use less water and survive.
Latest multimedia content
This content is free to use and repost by media organizations and others under a Creative Commons license.
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Resources
We’ve collected a series of resources that help explain the complex and sometimes contentious world of 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....
Background readings on Western water
Here are some helpful online resources for learning more about the Colorado River Basin and Western water issues.
On this page:
1922 Colorado River Compact1922...
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, a Twitter list for Western water and examples of great water journalism.
Water news sources
One...