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

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.

How Hudbay’s Santa Rita mining will impact Southern Arizona’s waterways

The proposed Copper World Complex mine is carving roads and berms that will impact wildlife and waterflow.

East Troublesome Fire could cause water-quality impacts for years

The Colorado fire grew 100,000 acres in 24 hours, eventually becoming the second-largest wildfire in the state’s recorded history.

Is renewable energy’s future dammed?

A proposed hydroelectric project on the Little Colorado River shows the tricky trade-offs in transitioning from fossil fuels.

Water confab: Colorado politicos call for more water storage, smart growth

Politicians and water officials gathered to discuss Colorado's water issues and creating more reservoir storage.

What to watch on the Colorado River in 2024

After years of dry conditions throughout the West, 2023 gave the region’s water managers the greatest gift of all: a hefty snowpack. What will 2024 bring?

Forest Service approves test drilling for Whitney Reservoir site

The U.S. Forest Service approved an application from the cities of Aurora and Colorado Springs for geotechnical drilling in the Homestake Valley, one of the first steps toward building a new dam and reservoir on Homestake Creek.
Boaters float the Yampa River in northwest Colorado photo

Stream management planning watered down by agriculture

Flow targets for the environment and recreation are lacking, according to a recent report.

Photos and videos: Westwater, Utah, September 2022

This page features drone-captured photos and video of Westwater, a small Navajo community next to Blanding, Utah, that recently got electricity and is still waiting for running water. Water...

Questions in North Park as Colorado makes case for new rules to measure water...

As the gap between water supplies and demands narrows in northwestern Colorado, state officials want to ensure that, as best as reasonably can be done, every last drop gets measured and recorded.