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

Special Report: Colorado, New Mexico struggle to save the blistered Rio Grande, with lessons...

Cities in New Mexico and Colorado are juggling water scarcity concerns over the Rio Grande.

Humans are great at giving real problems the side-eye

Two new books provide insights into the willful ignorance that lead to the West’s water woes.

Grizzly Reservoir to be drained next summer for rehab work

The rehabilitation of Grizzly Dam addresses safety concerns of corroded steel, seepage and operational problems.

California’s dream has turned into water nightmares

A new book looks at the Golden State’s history to understand its current water crisis.

Carbondale Ranch, water trust launch 2nd effort to boost Crystal River flows

Cold Mountain Ranch and the Colorado Water Trust penned an agreement to improve the Crystal River’s streamflow and compensate nearby ranchers.

‘This system cannot be sustained’

This year, tribal nations enter negotiations over Colorado River water.

Human actions created the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake – here’s how to save...

Irrigation practices that maintained the Salton Sea have been reduced, and excess water is being transferred to coastal cities instead.
Pistachio farm photo

Tulare County’s never-ending drought brings dried up wells and plenty of misery

In the rural towns around Visalia, drought is a perpetual plight and wells are going dry.

A Colorado River flows drop and tensions rise, water interests struggle to find solutions...

Experts warn that climate change has rendered old assumptions outdated about what the Colorado River can provide, leaving painful water cuts as the only way forward.
Water arriving by truck photo

Avoiding water bankruptcy in the drought-troubled Southwest: What the US and Iran can learn...

Past mistakes offer important lessons for future plans in the Southwest and other regions increasingly experiencing drought and water shortages.