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

Carbondale Ranch, water trust launch 2nd effort to boost Crystal River flows

Cold Mountain Ranch and the Colorado Water Trust penned an agreement to improve the Crystal River’s streamflow and compensate nearby ranchers.

Water from retired coal plants could help endangered fish in the Yampa River

Endangered fish in the Yampa River may benefit as coal-fired power stations close in the next 10 to 15 years.

Water, money, and power in Colorado – Water Buffs Podcast ep. 3 – Heather Sackett

Water Desk Director Mitch Tobin talks to Heather Sackett, managing editor at Aspen Journalism, about water issues in Colorado, including several stories that explore the potential transfer of water from rural areas to growing cities.

Photos: Granite Reef Underground Storage Project, January 2019

This page features aerial photos of the Granite Reef Underground Storage Project (GRUSP), near Mesa, Arizona. Roughly four miles downstream from the Granite Reef Diversion Dam, the GRUSP is a...

Why the second-driest state rejects water conservation

A powerful group that steers Utah’s water policy keeps pushing for costly infrastructure over meaningful conservation efforts.
Rocky Mountain National Park burn photo

Funding shortfalls, bureaucratic barriers hobble efforts to restore Colorado’s fire-scarred water systems

Funding shortfalls are hobbling efforts to clean up watersheds and protect drinking water for more than 1 million Coloradans.

Navajo water

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...
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.

Holding out hope on the drying Rio Grande

Reporting supported with a grant from The Water Desk at the University of Colorado Boulder's Center for Environmental Journalism. Aerial photography support provided by LightHawk.  FAR WEST TEXAS—The year was...
Chimney Hollow Reservoir under construction photo

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.