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

Critics oppose Wyoming hydroelectric project, pointing to climate-driven drought crisis

Anglers, businesses and others cast doubt on claims that a pumped-water energy storage project at Seminoe Reservoir won’t adversely impact water, fisheries, wildlife and recreation.
Grand Canyon National Park photo

Proposed Tusayan development threatens Grand Canyon National Park

As a developer seeks an easement in the Kaibab National Forest, the character of surrounding towns and parks could drastically change.

Once a rich desert river, the Gila struggles to keep flowing

Population growth, agricultural withdrawals and climate change have badly diminished the river and threaten its future.

Colorado reservoirs down 25 percent as drought persists

Colorado’s reservoirs are 25 percent lower than they were last year at this time, as a hot, dry summer continues into the fall.

Budget-strapped Wyoming towns race for federal funds to fix aging water, sewer systems

Waking up to long-overdue system upgrades, dozens of towns that were awarded federal ARPA dollars may see them "clawed back" for lack of resources to complete paperwork.
The Crystal River at the fish hatchery just south of Carbondale

Weak 2020 water year comes to a close

What started as a promising water year for Colorado with above-average snowpack ended Sept. 30 with the entire state in some level of drought.

Why don’t we just fix the Colorado River crisis by piping in water from...

The Colorado River is a lifeline for about 40 million people across the Southwest. It supplies major cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Denver and a multibillion-dollar agriculture industry...

As wildfires grow more intense, California water managers are learning to rewrite their emergency...

Agencies share lessons learned as they recover from fires that destroyed facilities, contaminated supplies and devastated their customers

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.
Ute Water Assistant Manager Greg Williams shows a map where the domestic water provider plans to build Buzzard Creek Reservoir and Owens Creek Reservoir. Cities, conservancy districts, energy companies and private citizens have conditional water rights to build 99 new reservoirs over 5,000 acre-feet on the Western Slope. Photo by William Woody

Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will...

The site where Ute Water plans to build Owens Creek Reservoir at 8,200 feet on the Grand Mesa was snow covered by mid-November. The Western Slope’s largest domestic water...