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

When flows are low, river recreators seek out new allies and avoid making enemies

What used to be a calm stretch of the Yampa River near Craig, Colorado, now boasts a new set of rollicking whitewater rapids.  They’re not the result of some new...

Colorado communities have spent millions of dollars on whitewater parks. Are they worthwhile?

There’s an old catchphrase that Colorado kayak park proponents used in the early 2000s to sell the idea that keeping water in streams mattered just as much as water...

Colorado has unique protections for river recreation, but do they have enough legal muscle?

David Hajoglou sat on the rocks next to a rushing stretch of river in Golden, Colorado. As he scouted a kayak route through the riffles and waves, he thought...

Recreation groups ask for more inclusion in state Water Plan

Colorado’s river recreation community is asking for more recognition in the update to the state’s Water Plan.
Beach at Barr Lake, where agencies are working to remove toxic algae. May 31, 2022. Credit: Jerd Smith, Fresh Water News

Heading to the lake? Colorado trying new tools, including P-Free lawns, to combat toxic...

Colorado water officials hope to combat algae blooms caused by rising temperatures and an increased use of phosphorus-laced lawn fertilizers.
Colorado River photo

Glenwood Springs secures water right for whitewater parks

Glenwood Springs has secured a conditional water right for three whitewater parks on the Colorado River after a long fought court battle.
Rafters on the Gunnison River photo

How many “boatable” days does a Colorado river possess? We’re about to find out

A prototype web tool uses historical data to give river users and water managers the ability to check an entire season’s flow forecast.
River kayaking photo

Conservation groups want recreation water right tied to natural river features

Three conservation groups in Colorado are working on a revision to a state law that would allow natural river features to get a water right.
Yampa River rafting photo

Craig betting on Yampa River to help transition from coal economy

Craig officials and river enthusiasts are hoping a long-overlooked natural resource just south of town can help create economic resilience.
Yampa River photo

As iconic Yampa River flows drop, Colorado moves to tighten oversight

With drought continuing to grip the American West, Colorado is declaring one of its last, mostly free-flowing rivers as over-appropriated.