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

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.
Hay collecting photo

Report: Colorado River ranch water savings hit 42 percent

Colorado’s high altitude hay meadows could be re-operated to yield more than 40 percent in water savings, according to a new report.
Glen Canyon Dam photo

As Colorado River reservoirs shrink, feds ask for work-arounds for 2022

As drought threatens Colorado River reservoirs' ability to generate hydropower, the Bureau of Reclamation is creating work-arounds.
Grasslands photo

Grim 2022 drought outlook for Western US offers warnings for the future as climate...

A rapidly warming climate has put the American West in a brutal drought with a hotter and thirstier atmosphere.

Cash for Grass: Colorado to pay for turf removal, boost water conservation

Colorado has a new turf replacement program that will finance residential areas to switch their yards to more water efficient landscaping.

As 2020 kicks in, historic Colorado River Drought Plan will get its first test

This year, the first-ever Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan is set to launch, and water officials expect 2020 to bring unprecedented changes to the way the river is run, including cutbacks in water use by some states.

Colorado Water Plan turns five: Is it working?

Drought, growth, climate change, budget cuts, wildfires and competing demands for water are among the challenges facing the Colorado Water Plan.
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.
Aerial Snowborne Observatories flight photo

Counting every drop: Colorado approves $1.9M for high-tech snow, water measuring program

Colorado has approved a $1.9 million snow measuring initiative that will help forecast how much water mountain snowpack will likely generate.

State inspections lag for New Mexico’s primary drinking water source

New Mexico is behind in water inspections for the third year in a row, leaving water quality in question.