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

Climate change made the West’s snow drought far more likely—but it’s still not the...

Q&A with hydrologist Adrienne Marshall on why this past winter’s snowpack fell so low, how global warming increased the odds and what the future may hold

Peaches pay the bills for Western Colorado farmers, but prolonged drought makes their future...

On a warm morning in Palisade, Colorado, Bruce Talbott walks through his orchards, picking and discarding peaches he knows won’t sell. With just one look, he can tell how...

The Supreme Court shrunk clean water protections in the West. Colorado and New Mexico...

In dry, western Colorado, near the town of Glade Park, a high-elevation meadow is surrounded by aspens and firs. The grass is surprisingly bright green. That’s a clue, said...

The clock is ticking for New Mexico to cut Rio Grande water use

Photos by Paul Ratje. Reporting supported by the Water Desk at the University of Colorado Boulder. HATCH, N.M.—After 13 years, Texas and New Mexico have finally reached a settlement in...

Colorado water officials announce creation of state-run conservation program

In the culmination of a process that has been years in the making, Colorado officials Wednesday announced the creation of a state-run water conservation program. In what officials are calling...

The Colorado River states are deadlocked and the river is crashing. Will a ‘grand...

A 'wild idea' to defuse the Colorado River Compact's legal time bomb has been kept alive by seasoned observers who believe it could still save the river

How universities in the West justify staying green during drought

In early June, water experts gathered at the University of Colorado Boulder to talk about the future of the Colorado River.  The lifeline for 40 million people in the Southwest...

Want to predict wildfires? The key may be underground

Recent studies demonstrate how soil moisture data can help wildfire experts predict a potential fire’s location and severity.

‘It’s devastating’: Drawdown at Flaming Gorge hits local recreation economy

As campers with boats flocked to Buckboard Marina at the start of Memorial Day weekend, Tony Valdez was busy issuing refunds and repairing broken boat ramps. One older Green...