Conservation

You’ve heard the news: Farmers and ranchers use roughly 80% of the water in Colorado and much of the American West. So doesn’t it make sense that if growers and...

As climate change brings warmer weather, Westerners are looking for ways to protect the region’s rivers and streams. In a special report for the Water Desk, Jerd Smith of Fresh Water News explains a strategy for safeguarding Colorado’s Yampa River.

Farmers, large and small, are beginning to grapple with what the state’s first major groundwater regulation means for them.

Beavers are making a comeback as researchers look for ways to restore rivers and wetlands while improving the health of drought-stressed aquifers.

Tree rings can tell a story. Wide bands signal a wet period, while narrow ones show a drought. Whole ecosystems can be encoded in trees. In Western Colorado, scientists...

A new study finds that Durango can no longer depend solely on direct flow from the Florida and Animas rivers for a reliable supply of water.

Carbondale and the Roaring Fork Conservancy are finalizing funding to restore a half-mile stretch of the Crystal River and 18 acres of riparian habitat.

A greenhouse in Colorado is using 95 percent less water to grow food compared to traditional agricultural practices.

Conservation groups and state regulators are alarmed by proposed changes to nationwide permits that authorize construction across streams and wetlands.

Several groups are studying demand management, underscoring persistent tensions between the Western Slope and Front Range water managers.