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

Matilija Reservoir has filled with sediment, allowing grasses to grow on its surface. | Photo: Paul Jenkin (August 2019)

The dam nobody wants just won’t go away

Dams can stop the natural flow of sand and silt to the sea—resulting in coastal wetland loss and disappearing beaches—as well as preventing fish from reaching vital spawning grounds.

As wildfires grow more intense, California water managers are learning to rewrite their emergency...

Agencies share lessons learned as they recover from fires that destroyed facilities, contaminated supplies and devastated their customers