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

Concerns rise over Grizzly Creek Fire’s impact on Colorado River’s endangered fish downstream

By Heather Sackett The Grizzly Creek Fire in Glenwood Canyon has many people praying for rain. But the very thing that could douse the blaze, which has burned 32,000 acres as...

Crisis on the Colorado Part IV: In Era of Drought, Phoenix Prepares for a...

Once criticized for being a profligate user of water, fast-growing Phoenix has taken some major steps — including banking water in underground reservoirs, slashing per-capita use, and recycling wastewater — in anticipation of the day when the flow from the Colorado River ends.

Photos and videos: Hanging Flume and Dolores River

This page features photos and drone videos of the Hanging Flume above the Dolores River in southwest Colorado. Built from around 1888 to 1891 (sources vary), the flume transported...

Photos: Labyrinth and Desolation Canyons along Green River

This page features photos of the Green River in Labyrinth and Desolation canyons in eastern Utah. The Green River, the main tributary of the Colorado River, flows through some of...

Colorado River faces ‘devastating consequences’ if another dry winter lands, experts warn

Even a huge snowpack during the coming winter would only give the river basin states less than two years of storage before reservoirs returned to historic lows.
Center pivot irrigation photo

State water task force issues anti-profiteering report; critics say it falls short

A state group examining water speculation identified eight ideas to stop water hoarding, but failed to provide legislative recommendations.

Photos and videos: San Juan River, Utah, September 2023

This page in our free multimedia library features photos and videos of the San Juan River, near Mexican Hat, Utah. The San Juan is an important tributary of the Colorado...

Photos: Lake Mead and Hoover Dam aerials, May 2021

This page features aerial images of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, along the Colorado River near Las Vegas, Nevada. Lake Mead is the nation's largest reservoir by capacity, but its...

Basin roundtables push back on Colorado Water Conservation Board’s proposed code of conduct

The state water board is encouraging roundtables to adopt a code of conduct, but some Western Slope roundtables are pushing back.
Homestake Creek Wetland Photo

Efforts to relocate an ancient wetland could help determine the fate of a water...

The cities of Aurora and Colorado Springs are looking to develop additional water in Eagle County and divert it to Colorado's Front Range.