How much runoff comes from the West’s snowpack?
Snowmelt dominates many Western rivers, but climate change will reduce that contribution as raindrops replace snowflakes.
What happens when a rural area’s only well is contaminated?
As California’s new requirements for forever chemicals kick in, small providers in remote towns struggle to clean up their water.
Decision looms on Holy Cross reservoir exploration permit
The U.S. Forest Service said it is just weeks away from deciding whether a high-profile request to explore the geological feasibility of a new reservoir site in Colorado’s Eagle County should be granted.
Chatfield Reservoir’s $171M redo complete, with new storage for Front Range cities, farmers
Chatfield Reservoir, one of the largest liquid playgrounds in the Denver metro area, will now store water under a $171 million deal.
Local groups voice renewed interest in Crystal River Wild & Scenic designation
Residents of Colorado's Crystal River valley are reviving efforts to protect the upper portion of the river through a federal designation.
Cities in the West are booming in population. Will they need a lot more...
When researcher Brian Richter set out to take a close look at how big cities in the Western U.S. were adapting to water scarcity, he already knew the story’s...
State officials looking for engagement on updated water plan
State officials are hoping dire climate predictions and water shortages will convince Coloradans to get involved in planning how to share a dwindling resource.
Two new Colorado River reservoirs are rising on the Front Range, are they the...
Two new water storage projects designed to capture the flows of the Colorado River may represent the end of an era on the river.
Western Colorado water purchases stir up worries about the future of farming
Part of a series by Aspen Journalism, KUNC, KJZZ and The Nevada Independent exploring how investors are banking on the West’s water scarcity.
Some Western cities offer residents “cash for grass” to reduce irrigation
A study in 2016 showed that lawns are the largest irrigated crop in America.