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

Drone videos and photos: Colorado River along Utah State Route 128 near Moab, December...

This page features drone footage and still imagery of the Colorado River near Moab, Utah, along State Route 128, which is designated as a scenic byway. Utah 128 runs...

As more sanitation districts test wastewater for COVID-19, questions remain on interpreting the data

Wastewater can inform public health departments of new variants in the community, but the data collected is still inconclusive.

Photos: Green River, Yampa River, Echo Park and Dinosaur National Monument, September 2020

This page features ground-based photos of the Green River, Yampa River and Echo Park in Dinosaur National Monument. Echo Park, which lies at the confluence of the Green and...

Photos: San Pedro River, Arizona

This page features photos of the San Pedro River in southeast Arizona, a hotspot for biological diversity. The San Pedro River originates about 10 miles below the international border, just...

A Mexican water expert on what Arizona can learn from Hermosillo

As severe water scarcity becomes an increasingly real and dire prospect for Arizona, looking south to Sonora offers important insight.

A feverish stream, a legion of volunteers, a $1.7 million grant. Is it enough...

Could something as simple and natural as a ragged corridor of expansive, towering shade trees help the Yampa River arm itself against climate change?
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After Clean Water Act setback, state to ask lawmakers for new authority

State health officials will request to fast-track authority over streams left unprotected after a 2020 rollback of Clean Water Act.

Photos: Salton Sea aerials, October 2018

This page features aerial imagery of the Salton Sea in Southern California. The Salton Sea is a shallow, highly saline lake bordering southern California’s Imperial County. The lake was created...

Photos and videos: Arkansas River, Colorado, March 2021

This page features ground-based and drone-captured photos and videos of the Arkansas River in central Colorado. The Arkansas River begins near Leadville, Colorado and travels nearly 1,500 miles until it...

Map: Explore drone, aerial and terrestrial imagery from The Water Desk

Use this interactive map to browse our expanding collection of free-to-use photos and videos captured by drones, planes and ground-based photographers.