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

Colorado OKs drinking treated wastewater; now to convince the public it’s a good idea

Colorado joins three other states in approving a new rule that clears the way for drinking treated wastewater.

Farms use 80% of the West’s water. Some in Colorado use less, a lot...

A greenhouse in Colorado is using 95 percent less water to grow food compared to traditional agricultural practices.
Senator Beck Basin photo

New dust-on-snow monitoring technology coming to Steamboat lab, expanding a growing snowpack data network

Technology to study the impact of dust on downwind mountain ecosystems in Colorado and Utah will likely be installed in the Rockies this fall.
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.

Two pumped water storage projects move forward in Colorado

Two proposed pumped water storage projects that could expand Colorado’s ability to store renewable energy are moving forward.
Hydrant photo

Is a hacker targeting your drinking water? COVID-19 exposes problems in Colorado, elsewhere

A cyberattack in Florida has shown that outdated water control technologies have become more exposed to hacking.

The promises and pitfalls of mapping small streams

After nearly 136 years of work, the U.S. Geological Survey still faces problems mapping small streams. Now hikers and lasers are on the solutions menu.
Cloud seeding equipment near Winter Park in Colorado photo

Cloud seeding might not be as promising as drought-troubled states hope

Several western states have experimented with cloud seeding to increase precipitation, but it may not be a promising strategy.

Video story: Navajo water (full length)

Many residents on the Navajo Reservation are now enjoying clean, running water and solar power in their homes, benefiting from DigDeep’s ambitious project to transform their daily lives with...
Grand County rancher collects hay samples

These hay fields may know something we don’t: how to save the Colorado River

A $1 million science experiment on Colorado hay fields is backed by powerful water groups, farm interests, and environmentalists.