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

Water Desk awards new grants to journalists and media outlets

The Water Desk is excited to announce the recipients of new grants to support water-related journalism in the seven states of the Colorado River Basin and the borderlands of...

Photos: Rio Grande near Albuquerque, June 2024

This page in our free multimedia library features aerial photos of the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, N.M. Albuquerque relies on pumped groundwater and surface water from the Colorado River Basin...

Cities in the West are booming in population. Will they need a lot more...

When researcher Brian Richter set out to take a close look at how big cities in the Western U.S. were adapting to water scarcity, he already knew the story’s...

Colorado River Econ 101

By Kurt Repanshek, National Parks Traveler From the high country in Rocky Mountain National Park a muddy flush of water rushes downstream, through western Colorado. It turns left, going south...

Upper Basin states test methods to fill Powell pool

States say automatically turning to agriculture isn’t always reliable

Farmers use the majority of Colorado’s water. Shouldn’t they bear the burden of future...

You’ve heard the news: Farmers and ranchers use roughly 80% of the water in Colorado and much of the American West. So doesn’t it make sense that if growers and...

City of Aspen banks on creative thinking for ATM water project

The city of Aspen is moving ahead on a project aimed at increasing the reliability of its water supply and environmental flows through what’s known as an “alternative transfer method,” or ATM.

Photos: Bullfrog Marina and Lake Powell, October 2022

This page features aerial and ground-based photos of Lake Powell's Bullfrog Marina in southern Utah. Created by Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell is the second-largest reservoir in the nation by...

Environmental justice board eyes new coordinating entity, better community outreach tools

Colorado's Environmental Justice Advisory Board is discussing recommendations to help the state strengthen its environmental justice work.
Lake Powell photo

Working within Colorado River’s 1922 water compact for 21st century focus of annual meeting

Water leaders from each of the Colorado River basin states will soon meet for the annual Colorado River Water Users Association Conference.