Issues

As the Southwest faces rapid growth and unrelenting drought, the Colorado River is in crisis, with too many demands on its diminishing flow. Now those who depend on the river must confront the hard reality that their supply of Colorado water may be cut off.

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

A warming climate has been linked to human activity around the world, and has affected the Colorado River System as well. The impacts are substantial, from reduced water flows, threats to indigenous species and the influx of new invasive species along the river system.

Amid one of the hottest summers on record for Colorado, Dillon Reservoir is 94% full, nearly 5 feet below its capacity. This level of drought has been manageable this year for Denver Water partly because of the 2018-19 winter.

Journalist Geoff McGhee talks to Water Desk Director Mitch Tobin about how still images and video footage captured by planes and drone help explain water issues.

As drought conditions intensify across Colorado, at least 14 cities in the Denver metro area say they will join forces to warn residents of looming water shortages and the need to cut back use this spring.

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.

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

Steamboat Springs is trying to comply with state regulations and also cool down chronically high temperatures in an impaired stretch of the Yampa River.

Dropping reservoir levels have opened a window of opportunity for water-management policies that move the river system toward sustainability.