New gambling tax revenue forecasts in free fall; cash for water plan in limbo
It’s hard to generate money from a sports-betting tax when COVID-19 has removed athletes from the fields, courts and stadiums where they normally play.
Polis signs five major water bills into law: instream flows, anti-speculating, and more
Colorado enacted five major pieces of water legislation, including providing more water for environmental flows and studying how to limit water speculation.
Study: Colorado’s water still affordable, but that may change as COVID-19 stresses utilities
Western states are still able to provide relatively affordable water, but that could change as utilities try to recoup losses associated with the pandemic and begin to pay for the massive repairs and upgrades to their systems that were on the drawing board before COVID-19 struck.
Colorado River drought study advances as participants call for fairness between cities, ranches
Can Colorado find a fair way to set aside as much as 500,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Powell to protect the state from future drought?
Colorado water utilities race to protect workers from COVID-19 as they declare tap water...
Water utilities initiated emergency action plans, asking hundreds of employees to work from home to limit the virus’ spread and to help protect the workers needed to operate water treatment and delivery systems.
Report: Colorado’s farm water use exceeds national average, despite efforts to conserve
Farm water is critical to Colorado’s effort to balance a growing population with a water system stressed by drought and climate change.
As 2020 kicks in, historic Colorado River Drought Plan will get its first test
This year, the first-ever Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan is set to launch, and water officials expect 2020 to bring unprecedented changes to the way the river is run, including cutbacks in water use by some states.
States, Congress, Trump okay $156M to extend innovative Platte River recovery program
After a year of anxious waiting, scientists and researchers who’ve helped build one of the most successful species recovery programs in the nation have gotten a 13-year extension to finish their work.
Anger and disappointment as Yampa River ranchers ordered to measure water
Hundreds of ranchers in the Yampa Valley have ignored a state request to begin measuring the water they use, putting them on a collision course with regulators if they don’t relent.
Study: Colorado River water crisis could dry out Front Range, West Slope cities and...
If drought and climate change continue to sap the Colorado River, and a legal crisis erupts with downstream states, six of Colorado's eight major river basins could be forced to give up water.