An initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder

Site Features

Hoover Dam photo

Hydropower’s future is clouded by droughts, floods and climate change – it’s also essential...

As competition for water increases, the way hydropower is managed within regions and across the power grid in the U.S. will have to evolve.
Toxic waste from uranium pool photo

Two Southwest tribes raise concerns over uranium storage

In Utah, a pool of toxic waste is emitting dangerous amounts of radon to the surrounding communities, including the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
Beach at Barr Lake, where agencies are working to remove toxic algae. May 31, 2022. Credit: Jerd Smith, Fresh Water News

Heading to the lake? Colorado trying new tools, including P-Free lawns, to combat toxic...

Colorado water officials hope to combat algae blooms caused by rising temperatures and an increased use of phosphorus-laced lawn fertilizers.
Satellite image of the Irrawaddy River delta in Myanmar photo

Rivers can suddenly change course – scientists used 50 years of satellite images to...

Beyond flooding, the unpredictability of the world's rivers is perpetuated by rare avulsions, which can cause them to abruptly change course.

Colorado River crisis giving tribes new opportunities to right century-old water wrongs

Early involvement in negotiating new Colorado River guidelines will be critical for tribes to determine their future.

Photos and videos: White River Flight, May 2021

This page features aerial imagery of the White River in northwest Colorado and northeast Utah. The White River is a tributary of the Green River, which is the Colorado River’s...
Hydroelectric turbine at Glen Canyon Dam photo

Powell’s looming power problem

Drought and demand threaten a critical component of the Western grid as Lake Powell approaches minimum power pool for the first time.
The Roaring Fork River seen here on May 24 near the Catherine Store Bridge in Carbondale. Downstream at Glenwood Springs, the river peaked for the season on May 20, early and outside the window of what’s considered normal. CREDIT: HEATHER SACKETT/ASPEN JOURNALISM

Early peak runoff for Western Slope rivers

Snowpack in Colorado is melting earlier than expected due to an increase in dust storm severity.

Photos: Paonia Reservoir, July 2021

This page features drone-captured images of Paonia Reservoir, located in Gunnison County, Colorado. Constructed in 1962, 199-foot Paonia Dam crosses Muddy Creek just upstream from its junction with Anthracite Creek....
Grasslands photo

Grim 2022 drought outlook for Western US offers warnings for the future as climate...

A rapidly warming climate has put the American West in a brutal drought with a hotter and thirstier atmosphere.