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

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Water Desk Stories

Western U.S. snowpack is worth trillions of dollars

Putting a price tag on the water stored in the region’s high-elevation frozen reservoir

Scientists clash over how to track the West’s vital snowpack

Supporters of airborne snow surveys dispute “hotspots” study on water forecasts

In burned forests, the West’s snowpack is melting earlier

As blazes expand to higher elevations, the impacts cascade downstream

Rainfall brings Colorado River drought relief, but concerns for next year’s water supply remain

Heavy autumn rains brought relief to drought-plagued portions of the Southwest, but across the Colorado River basin ongoing water supply concerns still linger amid tense policy negotiations and near...

Human emissions are helping fuel the Southwest’s epic drought

Three studies of the Pacific Ocean conclude that lower precipitation isn’t just due to natural causes

When the West’s rivers surge each spring, older groundwater dominates the runoff

A better understanding of groundwater in the headwaters could improve streamflow predictions

As Gross Reservoir rises, Boulder County residents grapple with project’s legal turmoil

Pieter Strauss used to love hosting stargazing parties at his house in the Lakeshore Park neighborhood up Flagstaff Road southwest of Boulder. The hobbyist astronomer would fire up the...

Q&A: Snow droughts imperil the American West’s water supply

A lack of snow impacts the West’s water resources, wildfire risk, recreational activities and ecosystem health.

Scientists use cosmic rays to study the snowpack

Extraterrestrial particles offer insights into Earth’s mountain water towers

Taking stock of the spring snowpack

Maps and charts visualize conditions at the April 1 milestone