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

Water trouble in Rio Verde Foothills

An Arizona community may be ground zero for climate change in America. The Colorado River basin is in crisis — its reservoirs are running dry. Brad Hicks shows you...

Deadline passed

The seven states failed to meet a federal deadline of February 1st to agree on a plan to use less water from the Colorado River. Brad Hicks of the...

A treasure hunt for wild springs in Arizona’s desert 

In Arizona, finding water in the wilderness means discovering a source of life. 

Tribal water talks

With growing water shortages on the Colorado River, tribal communities are demanding a bigger role in river management and access to water they legally own but have never actually...

A Colorado River veteran moves upstream and plunges into the drought-stressed river’s mounting woes

Chuck Cullom discusses the Upper Basin's five-point plan, water cut-offs and who IS responsible for water losses.
San Diego has shored up its water supplies by upgrading the All-American Canal, which takes Colorado River water to California's Imperial Valley. TED WOOD

A quiet revolution: Southwest cities learn to thrive amid drought

Southwestern U.S. cities have embraced innovative strategies for conserving and sourcing water in a changing climate.

Once a rich desert river, the Gila struggles to keep flowing

Population growth, agricultural withdrawals and climate change have badly diminished the river and threaten its future.

Photos: Gila River, Arizona

This page features imagery of the Gila River in Arizona. Flowing through New Mexico and Arizona, the 649-mile Gila River is a tributary to the Colorado River, though today only...

Photos: Senator Wash and Squaw Lake, February 2021

This page features photos of Senator Wash Reservoir and Squaw Lake along the Lower Colorado River. Located just above Imperial Dam on the California/Arizona border, both Senator Wash and Squaw...

Photos: Xeriscaping in Phoenix

This page features photos of xeriscaping in Phoenix, Arizona. Xeriscaping is the practice of designing landscapes to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation. Homeowners can opt for yards filled...