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

Parks and Wildlife officer photo

Colorado reaches settlement on Chatfield Reservoir environmental water plan

Colorado water officials have reached a settlement removing one of the last barriers to a new water program in Chatfield Reservoir.
Crystal River photo

Facing drought and increased demands, Colorado communities eye new storage alternatives

Colorado could need 750,000 acre-feet of new water supplies by 2050 for its growing population, but how to store that water isn’t clear.

Tour the San Joaquin River

An interactive map visualizes restoration efforts on the San Joaquin River.
Ella Ditch photo

River District looks for natural solutions to Crystal River water shortage

Officials say a solution to the water shortage on the Crystal River will probably include natural fixes before a dam and reservoir.
Colorado River photo

Traveler Special Report: Grand Canyon’s Struggling River

Glen Canyon Dam, climate change and invasive plant species are threatening the Colorado River.

Photos and videos: Blue Mesa Reservoir, December 2020

This page features ground-based photos of Blue Mesa Reservoir, along the Gunnison River in Curecanti National Recreation Area. Created by 390-foot Blue Mesa Dam, the reservoir has a capacity of...

Photos and videos: Navajo Lake and San Juan River, April 2021

This page features drone-captured videos and images of Navajo Lake, a reservoir that impounds the San Juan River in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Completed in 1962, Navajo...
Ritschard dam photo 1

A dam in Grand County is showing an increasing risk of failure, prompting a...

Problems with a Grand County, Colorado dam are turning out to be worse than previously thought, and may be tough to plan for moving forward.
Crystal River photo 1

Crystal River Wild & Scenic advocates hope to learn from the past

Residents of Colorado's Pitkin County are reviving efforts to secure a Wild & Scenic designation on the Crystal River, but it won't be easy.
Dry agriculture photo

Dust beneath snow: As Colorado reservoirs drop, farmers fear the worst

Reservoirs in the South Platte Basin are full from spring snows, but the rest of the state's storage pools are dangerously low, and farmers are struggling.