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

High stakes standoff

A high stakes standoff is playing out over how to save the Colorado River. And with the biggest man-made reservoir in America — Lake Mead — running dry, time...

Human actions created the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake – here’s how to save...

Irrigation practices that maintained the Salton Sea have been reduced, and excess water is being transferred to coastal cities instead.

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...

Atmospheric rivers over California’s wildfire burn scars raise fears of deadly mudslides – this...

One natural disaster often leads to another and in California these consecutive events are leading to human disasters.
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.

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...

As drought shrinks the Colorado River, a Southern California giant seeks help from river...

Metropolitan Water District's water recycling proposal builds momentum amid increasingly dry conditions.

Photos: All-American Canal, February 2021

This page features aerial photos of the All-American Canal near Winterhaven, California. The All-American Canal begins at the Imperial Dam in southeastern California and flows west—nearly parallel to the California-Mexico...

Photos: Salton Sea aerials, October 2018

This page features aerial imagery of the Salton Sea in Southern California. The Salton Sea is a shallow, highly saline lake bordering southern California’s Imperial County. The lake was created...

‘Zero Day’ for California water? Not yet, but unprecedented water restrictions send a sharp...

California’s announcement represents uncharted territory and is meant to promote water conservation in what is already a dry water year.