Our free multimedia library offers photos, videos, charts, graphics, maps and other visual content that can help tell the story of water, especially in the American West.
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Multimedia library
Multimedia collections
Photo collections
Browse photo galleries and download high-resolution imagery for free re-use under a Creative Commons license.
Photos: Rio Grande near Albuquerque, June 2024
This page in our free multimedia library features aerial photos of the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, N.M.
Albuquerque relies on pumped groundwater and surface water...
Photos: Rio Grande Gorge aerials, May-June 2024
This page in our free multimedia library features aerial photos of the Rio Grande Gorge, near Taos, N.M.
The Rio Grande Gorge, a striking canyon...
Video footage
We also offer high-resolution videos and B-roll of key water-related locations in the West.
Videos: Taos Box rafting on Rio Grande, June 2023
This page in our free multimedia library features GoPro video of a rafting trip through the Taos Box on the Rio Grande in northern...
Photos and videos: San Juan River, Utah, September 2023
This page in our free multimedia library features photos and videos of the San Juan River, near Mexican Hat, Utah.
The San Juan is an...
Multimedia stories
Stories using multimedia produced or collected by The Water Desk. These are available for republication by qualifying organizations.
Renegade rancher
40 million people rely on the Colorado River system for water and power. But after 20 years of drought, the river basin is running...
Crop in the crosshairs
The federal government is trying to save the water supply for 40 million Americans. It has released three possible plans to protect the Colorado...
Long-distance water
There’s desperation in the desert – for communities that could run out of water if the Colorado River keeps shrinking from overuse and climate...
High stakes standoff
A high stakes standoff is playing out over how to save the Colorado River. And with the biggest man-made reservoir in America — Lake...
Water trouble in Rio Verde Foothills
An Arizona community may be ground zero for climate change in America. The Colorado River basin is in crisis — its reservoirs are running...
Las Vegas water
The Las Vegas area has taken several effective steps to conserve water, with more efforts on the way.
Brad Hicks of public broadcasting’s This American...
Deadline passed
The seven states failed to meet a federal deadline of February 1st to agree on a plan to use less water from the Colorado...
Colorado River Water Users Association
More than 1,000 key players from CRWUA met this week to consider what actions to take in response to the reduction in the volume...
Tribal water talks
With growing water shortages on the Colorado River, tribal communities are demanding a bigger role in river management and access to water they legally...
Southern Ute Tribe and climate change
The megadrought in the Southwest is impacting everyone including Native American tribes that have lived here for thousands of years. For The Water Desk,...
Data visualization
The Water Desk provides original data visualizations for downloading or embedding.
Map: Winter photo galleries
Use this interactive map to browse photos and videos taken in wintertime from our expanding collection of free-to-use media captured by drones, planes and...
Data viz: Elephant Butte Reservoir levels
Last update: September 21, 2022
Percent of total capacity
Source: US Bureau of Reclamation
