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

Yampa River photo

Steamboat looks to new program to address high river temperatures

Steamboat Springs is trying to comply with state regulations and also cool down chronically high temperatures in an impaired stretch of the Yampa River.
Little Bear Ranch photo

Water planners pray for snow as 2022 forecast shows dry weather ahead

Colorado’s water forecast, already strained by back-to-back drought years, is unlikely to brighten this fall and winter.
Lightning during a monsoon storm photo

Monsoons make deserts bloom in the US Southwest, but climate change is making these...

Understanding monsoons is critical for educating communities about their benefits and risks, and about how to stay safe from flash flooding.
Elk Creek Marina photo

Blue Mesa Reservoir releases to prop up Lake Powell impacting recreation

In an effort to prop up water levels at Lake Powell, water managers are negatively impacting recreation on Colorado’s biggest man-made lake. 
Glen Canyon Dam photo

Electric costs in Colorado set to surge as Lake Powell struggles to produce hydropower

A federal agency aims to offset rising costs linked to Lake Powell’s inability to produce as much hydropower due to drought.
European floods photo

Is climate change to blame for extreme weather events? Attribution science says yes, for...

There has always been extreme weather, but human-caused global warming can increase extreme weather’s frequency and severity.
Center pivot irrigation photo

State water task force issues anti-profiteering report; critics say it falls short

A state group examining water speculation identified eight ideas to stop water hoarding, but failed to provide legislative recommendations.
Flooding in Northern England photo

The water cycle is intensifying as the climate warms, IPCC report warns – that...

Water-related hazards can be exceptionally destructive, and the impact of climate change on water-related disasters is increasingly evident.
Drought at Little Bear Ranch photo

Back-to-back droughts choke Western Colorado as winter forecast darkens

A repeat of dry conditions in 2021 is making Colorado’s continuing drought across swaths of the state’s Western Slope even more devastating.
Sprinkler gif

Just 53% of Colorado cities use permanent watering restrictions, despite proven savings

Despite a drought and below-normal reservoir levels, communities remain split on permanent outdoor watering restrictions.