Some recent data has shown a north/south split in streamflow declines, with rivers in the southern half of the upper Colorado River basin losing a larger percentage of flows in the first two decades of the 21st century than rivers in the northern part of the basin.
Category: Water
Our water desk, staffed by Heather Sackett, produces the most authoritative reporting available on Roaring Fork and upper Colorado river basin water policy and politics.
Posted inWater
Dwindling water supply, legal questions push Colorado River into ‘wildly uncharted territory’
Although the phrase often looms like a threat over Colorado River discussions, there is no agreed-upon definition of the term, what would trigger a compact call nor how one would play out.
Posted inWater
Federal funding pause includes 17 water projects on Western Slope
The uncertainty surrounding B2E funding comes at a crucial time for the Colorado River basin, which has been plagued by drought and dwindling streamflows due to climate change for more than the past two decades.
Posted inWater
Upper Basin water managers want monthly drought meetings with feds
This is a critical time for Colorado River management as the Upper Basin states are in talks with the Lower Basin states (California, Arizona, Nevada) about how the nation’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, will be operated and cuts will be shared after 2026 when the current guidelines expire.
Posted inWater
Colorado lawmakers take aim at turf — again
The bill represents a continuing effort across the Colorado River basin to wring savings from municipal water use in the face of a warming and drying climate.
Posted inWater
Future water conservation program almost guaranteed in Upper Basin
One is a Lake Powell Conservation Account that will store up to 200,000 acre-feet per year from conservation and from quantified but unused tribal water.
Posted inWater
Rare earth elements found in Lincoln Creek raise new questions
In addition to the potential for mining valuable rare earth metals, scientists are eager to learn more about their impacts to human health and aquatic environments.
Posted inWater
Forest Service presents results of beaver inventory
The information gleaned from the inventory will now help the Forest Service decide where to do prescribed burns and stream restoration projects in an effort to create more and better beaver habitat.
Posted inWater
Congressional delays cause uncertainty for water conservation program
But there has been a recognition in recent months by some Upper Basin officials that their states will have to participate in some kind of future conservation program — SCPP or otherwise — on a river whose flows have declined over the past two decades due to drought and climate change.
Posted inWater
Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will planned reservoirs ever be built?
In the era of historic drought, climate change and crashing reservoir levels, where users already see shortages in dry years, some say this amount of water for new development simply does not exist.