About The Water Desk
The Water Desk is an independent, nonprofit journalism initiative with three priorities:
Stories and reports
Unanswered questions: New Mexico looks to fossil fuel byproduct to ease pressure on freshwater...
Mario Atencio’s family never received a notification that 1,100 barrels of produced water—a byproduct of oil and gas extraction—had spilled on their allotment in February 2019 near Counselor, New...
Searching for solutions: In New Mexico, researchers seek to make brackish water a viable...
Heading through eastern New Mexico, dairy cattle can be seen in farms beside the highway while flashing lights illuminate the wind farms at night. Large sprinklers irrigate the crop...
Does Arizona have enough water? Phoenix-area cities are spending big to make sure it...
Brett Fleck does not have an easy job. He manages water for a city in the desert. He has to keep taps flowing while facing a complicated equation: The...
Water Desk news and grant announcements
Reporter’s Notebook: The making of “The Gen Z Water Dealmaker,” a podcast about the...
https://vimeo.com/948851769
The Colorado River is in the midst of one of the worst water crises in recorded history. Climate change and overuse are taking a significant toll. Leaders from seven...
Join us for a webinar on new Colorado River podcast
Reporter's notebook: the making of "The Gen Z Water Dealmaker," a podcast about Colorado River negotiations
Special Series: Crisis on the Colorado
The Water Desk is pleased to republish this outstanding five-part series by Jim Robbins and Ted Wood for Yale Environment 360.
Crisis on the Colorado Part I: The West’s Great River Hits Its Limits– Will...
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.
Crisis on the Colorado Part II: On a Water-Starved River, Drought Is the New...
With the Southwest locked in a 19-year drought and climate change making the region increasingly drier, water managers and users along the Colorado River are facing a troubling question: Are we in a new, more arid era when there will never be enough water?
Crisis on the Colorado Part III: Running Dry– New Strategies for Conserving Water
Communities along the Colorado River are facing a new era of drought and water shortages that is threatening their future. With an official water emergency declaration now possible, farmers, ranchers, and towns are searching for ways to use less water and survive.
Latest multimedia content
This content is free to use and repost by media organizations and others under a Creative Commons license.
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Resources
We’ve collected a series of resources that help explain the complex and sometimes contentious world of water issues.
Cases, agreements and treaties
The legal intricacies of Western water can be difficult to wade through. This timeline offers an introduction to some key cases, agreements and treaties....
Resources: Background readings
Browse our background reading resources.
Colorado River Basin
Helpful online resources for learning more about the Colorado River Basin.
1922 Colorado River Compact
1922 Colorado River Compact Meeting...
Glossaries
It’s hard to understand water issues unless you know the lingo. Here are some helpful water-related glossaries on the web:
The U.S. Geological Survey's Dictionary...
Water books
Want to go deep and really learn about water issues? Here's a list of great nonfiction books on (Western) water issues, curated by Mitch...
Media and journalism
On this page you'll find a guide to water media and examples of great water journalism. Have a suggestion for a story or outlet...