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

Grand Canyon National Park photo

Proposed Tusayan development threatens Grand Canyon National Park

As a developer seeks an easement in the Kaibab National Forest, the character of surrounding towns and parks could drastically change.
Irrigation from the Crystal River photo

River District report highlights Western Slope concerns with state water-savings plan

The Colorado River Water Conservation District staff plans to present its own framework for a water-savings plan at its October board meeting.

Video story: Cooling the Yampa river (full length)

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.

Alternative plan to Wild and Scenic River designation for upper Colorado River OK’d

The alternative management planning process came about after the BLM in 2007 found that 54 miles of the upper Colorado River were eligible for a federal Wild and Scenic River designation.

Vague and voluntary proposals may do little to help Colorado River

Seven municipal water providers in the West create a five-point plan to conserve water, but some say it's not enough.
City Park in Denver

Even in a pandemic, drought drives water use along the Front Range

Municipal water providers saw commercial water use plummet at the beginning of the pandemic but those savings were erased once the hot summer rolled in.

Colorado River farm fallowing pilot moves forward, with approvals slated for next month

Farmers and ranchers in Colorado have submitted proposals to help restore the Colorado River, but the impacts remain uncertain.
Beaver dam photo

Scientists: Beavers latest tool to emerge in rebuilding drought-stricken streams

Beavers are making a comeback as researchers look for ways to restore rivers and wetlands while improving the health of drought-stressed aquifers.
The confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers in the Grand Canyon, shown here in a September 2020 aerial photo from Ecoflight, represents an area where the humpback chub has rebounded in the last decade. That progress is now threatened by declining water levels in Lake Powell, which could lead to non-native smallmouth bass becoming established in the canyon. CREDIT: JANE PARGITER/ECOFLIGHT

Declining levels at Lake Powell increase risk to humpback chub downstream

Low levels and warming waters threaten to increase invasive species in the Colorado River.

Crop in the crosshairs

The federal government is trying to save the water supply for 40 million Americans. It has released three possible plans to protect the Colorado River Basin, which is facing...