News briefs not to be missed and a recap of the state’s best reporting on water policy.
Author Archives: Heather Sackett
Heather Sackett is the managing editor at Aspen Journalism and the editor and reporter on the Water Desk. She has also reported for The Denver Post and the Telluride Daily Planet. Heather has a master’s degree from CU’s Center for Environmental Journalism and her reporting has been recognized by the Colorado Press Association.
Posted inWater
Lake Powell to dip below target elevation
As this angered some in Colorado, and the amount of water is proving to be the proverbial drop in the bucket, questions of the impact of the releases and were they worth it generate debate.
Posted inWater
Turf replacement bill gains ground
The drafters of House Bill 1151 say it is aimed at efficient water use and would increase communities’ resilience to drought and climate change, reduce the sale of agriculture water rights to meet increased demand in cities, and protect river flows.
Posted inWater
Rancher grapples with abandonment listing
Some water rights holders may be reluctant to pare back the amount of their right, even if they can’t use all the water to which their decree entitles them on paper.
Posted inWater
Groups try again to secure water for recreation
The proposal is an attempt to carve out a spot for — and recognize the importance of — Colorado’s outdoor-recreation economy in the hierarchy of water uses, which prioritizes the oldest water rights, usually belonging to agriculture and cities.
Posted inWater
Kremmling rancher picked to replace Schwartz on state water board
Schwartz said that although it was an honor to hold the seat, she felt she couldn’t be as effective as she wanted in the position.
Posted inThe Runoff
Welcome to The Runoff
Aspen Journalism’s monthly newsletter from the Water Desk to share more of what we’ve learned on the western water beat.
Posted inWater
Popular ditch inventories remain private despite being publicly funded
But neither the CWCB nor the Colorado Basin Roundtable has a policy that allows the public to have access to the inventories, even when public money is used to fund their creation.
Posted inWater
River District addresses controversial water speculation bill
The River District’s amendment is an attempt to revise the current proposed legislation, which has not found support from agricultural water users.
Posted inWater
State water education campaign focuses on individual actions
And although the agriculture industry represents 86% of the state’s water use, according to numbers provided by Water Education Colorado, Water ’22 does not include ways for agriculture to conserve water.