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

Tribal breakthrough? Four states, six tribes announce first formal talks on Colorado River negotiating...

Four states have embarked on formal meetings to negotiate jointly with some of the largest owners of Colorado River water rights: tribal communities.
The Roaring Fork River seen here on May 24 near the Catherine Store Bridge in Carbondale. Downstream at Glenwood Springs, the river peaked for the season on May 20, early and outside the window of what’s considered normal. CREDIT: HEATHER SACKETT/ASPEN JOURNALISM

Early peak runoff for Western Slope rivers

Snowpack in Colorado is melting earlier than expected due to an increase in dust storm severity.

Degrees of warming: How a hotter, thirstier atmosphere wreaks havoc on water supplies in...

Colorado's Pitkin County is grappling with higher temperatures, declining streamflows and drier soils caused by climate change.
Hydroelectric turbine at Glen Canyon Dam photo

Powell’s looming power problem

Drought and demand threaten a critical component of the Western grid as Lake Powell approaches minimum power pool for the first time.

Is renewable energy’s future dammed?

A proposed hydroelectric project on the Little Colorado River shows the tricky trade-offs in transitioning from fossil fuels.
Hay collecting photo

Report: Colorado River ranch water savings hit 42 percent

Colorado’s high altitude hay meadows could be re-operated to yield more than 40 percent in water savings, according to a new report.
Colorado stream photo 1

Special Report: Colorado launches major new series of stream protections

The process of protecting environmental flows takes an important step forward as three laws passed in 2020 start to take effect this year.
Liza Mitchell, a natural resource planner and ecologist with Pitkin County, shows off the recent work on a restoration project at a fen on North Star Nature Preserve, on Aug. 26. This fiber mat is plugging an old ditch that drained water from the wetland to the Roaring Fork River.

Pitkin County launches project to restore ancient wetland at North Star Preserve near Aspen

A fen-restoration project aims to enhance the wetland’s ability to provide habitat, store and filter groundwater, and sequester carbon.

Judge dismisses several water uses in White River reservoir case

A water court judge has agreed with state engineers and dismissed several of a water conservancy district’s claims for water for a dam and reservoir project in northwest Colorado.

Troubled waters

The Trump administration’s new definition of “waters of the United States” dramatically shrinks federal protection of many wetlands and waterways under the Clean Water Act. The rule change cuts red tape for farmers and developers but could threaten ecosystems and drinking water, especially in the arid West.