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

Holding out hope on the drying Rio Grande

Reporting supported with a grant from The Water Desk at the University of Colorado Boulder's Center for Environmental Journalism. Aerial photography support provided by LightHawk.  FAR WEST TEXAS—The year was...
Castle Creek in Aspen

Aspen officials want more data to plan for drought, seeking $59k for more tools

The city of Aspen is hoping some grant money can help it collect more data on snow and streams in the high country so it can better predict and plan for droughts.

Photos: Hite Marina and Lake Powell, October 2022

This page features aerial photos of Hite Marina, the Hite Crossing Bridge, and Lake Powell in southeast Utah. Lake Powell is the second-largest reservoir in the nation by capacity and...

As the West’s scant snowpack melts, Coloradans brace for a lean water year

Call it the winter that wasn’t. Throughout Colorado a record-warm and dry winter has come to a close. Attention now pivots to spring and the potential for additional snow to...

Photos: Lyman Reservoir, Arizona, February 2021

This page features ground-based and aerial photos of Lyman Reservoir, located in Lyman Lake State Park near Springerville, Arizona. By damming the Little Colorado River—a tributary to the Colorado River...

Photos: Laguna Grande Restoration Area, Mexico

This page features photos of the Laguna Grande Restoration Area in Baja California, Mexico. The Laguna Grande Restoration Area is a 1,200-acre plot of land located on the Colorado River’s...

High and Dry

Utah’s immense Great Salt Lake has receded in recent years, revealing the microbial reefs crucial to its ecosystem.

Depositions delve into state engineers’ questions on proposed White River reservoir

As its trial date in water court approaches, hundreds of pages of depositions obtained by Aspen Journalism reveal state engineers’ sticking points regarding a proposed reservoir project they oppose in northwest Colorado.

Can we save the San Joaquin’s salmon?

The upstream effort to restore a river and its fish.
An aerial view of the Colorado State Capitol photo

Turf replacement, wildfire, groundwater sustainability funding among water wins as Colorado legislative session ends

The Colorado General Assembly passed bills concerning groundwater, wildfire mitigation, watershed restoration, turf replacement and more.