Water Desk

U.S. Army Corps won’t hold public hearing on marble quarry that relocated Yule Creek
By Heather Sackett, Jan. 8
The Aspen Times, Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Rio Blanco secures water right for dam-and-reservoir project
By Heather Sackett, Jan. 11
The Aspen Times,  Steamboat Pilot & Today and Craig Press

East Troublesome Fire could cause water-quality impacts for years
By Allen Best, Jan. 18
Summit Daily News and Sky-Hi News

Colorado River restoration project crawls forward as some environmental groups call for radical change
By Linsey Fendt, Jan. 21
The Aspen TimesThe Vail DailySteamboat Pilot & TodaySky-Hi News and Craig Press

Work underway to smooth out big drop in river near Basalt
By Curtis Wackerle, Jan. 31
The Aspen Times

Colorado officials crack down on ponds in Arkansas River basin
By Heather Sackett, Feb. 1
The Aspen Times and Vail Daily

Local groups voice renewed interest in Crystal River Wild & Scenic designation
By Heather Sackett, Feb. 4
The Aspen Times

Report: Estimates of future Upper Colorado River Basin water use confound planning
By Heather Sackett, Feb. 25
The Aspen Times, Glenwood Springs Post-IndependentThe Summit Daily, Sky-Hi News, Craig Press and The Colorado Sun

Aspen seeks community engagement on water plan
By Heather Sackett, March 1
The Aspen Times

State proposes a new paradigm for Yampa River
By Allen Best, March 10
Steamboat Pilot & Today and The Craig Press

Storage and new water sources to be proposed in Aspen water plan
By Heather Sackett, March 20
The Aspen Times

Forest Service approves test drilling for Whitney Reservoir site
By Heather Sackett, March 23
The Vail Daily and The Aspen Times

Proposed statehouse bill could benefit Silt greenhouse
By Heather Sackett, April 1
The Aspen Times and Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Drought and dry soils again will diminish Colorado’s spring runoff
By Heather Sackett, April 9
The Aspen Times and Vail Daily

Roaring Fork on its way to 100 more acre-feet of flows
By Heather Sackett, April 15
The Aspen Times

Homestake Reservoir release proves tricky to track
By Heather Sackett, April 16
Vail Daily and The Aspen Times

A dam in Grand County is showing an increasing risk of failure, prompting a new engineering study
By Heather Sackett, May 3
The Aspen Times, Vail DailySummit Daily NewsThe Sky-Hi News and Steamboat Pilot & Today

Colorado is examining water speculation, and finding it’s ‘all the problems’ in one
By Heather Sackett and Luke Runyon (KUNC), May 5
SkyHi News,  Steamboat Pilot & TodayVail DailyCraig Press, The Aspen Times and Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Crystal River Wild & Scenic advocates hope to learn from the past
By Heather Sackett, May 17
The Aspen Times

Basin roundtables push back on Colorado Water Conservation Board’s proposed code of conduct
By Heather Sackett, May 24
The Aspen Times and Sky-Hi News

Craig betting on Yampa River to help transition from coal economy
By Heather Sackett, June 10
Craig Press, Vail Daily, The Aspen Times, Sky-Hi News, and Steamboat Pilot & Today

Conservation groups want recreation water right tied to natural river features
By Heather Sackett, June 20
The Aspen TimesSteamboat Pilot & Today, and Sky-Hi News

River District looks for natural solutions to Crystal River water shortage
By Heather Sackett, June 25
The Aspen Times

Kremmling bird count studies how birds use irrigated agriculture
By Heather Sackett, July 9
The Aspen TimesVail DailyCraig Press, Summit Daily NewsSky-Hi News and Colorado Sun.

State engineers developing measurement rules for water diversions
By Heather Sackett, July 17
Steamboat Pilot & Today, Craig Press, The Aspen TimesSummit Daily, and Sky-Hi News

Demand management discussions continue amid worsening Colorado River crisis
By Heather Sackett, July 23
The Aspen TimesSteamboat Pilot & TodayVail DailyCraig Press, and Sky-Hi News

How low can Ruedi Reservoir go?
By Heather Sackett, Aug. 10
The Aspen Times, The Colorado Sun

Colorado work group fails to reach consensus in anti-speculation report
By Heather Sackett, Aug. 18
The Aspen TimesSky-Hi NewsCraig Press and Vail Daily

Ouray County water project faces opposition from state, others
By Heather Sackett, Aug. 29
The Aspen Times,  Ouray County Plaindealer, and the Telluride Daily Planet

Blue Mesa Reservoir releases to prop up Lake Powell impacting recreation
By Heather Sackett, Sept. 4
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, The Aspen Times, Vail Daily and The Colorado Sun

Homestake hike highlights uncertainties with proposed reservoir project
By Heather Sackett, Sept. 16
The Aspen Times, Vail Daily, Daily Advent, NewsBreak, and Spot On Colorado

Steamboat looks to new program to address high river temperatures
By Heather Sackett, Sept. 28
Steamboat Pilot & Today and Sky-Hi News

River District report highlights Western Slope concerns with state water-savings plan
By Heather Sackett, Oct. 2
The Aspen TimesVail DailySteamboat Pilot & Today and Summit Daily News

Streamflows in southern half of upper Colorado River basin declining faster
By Heather Sackett, Oct. 17
The Aspen TimesGlenwood Springs Post-IndependentVail Daily and SkyHi News

Wolf Creek reservoir project secures River District grant
By Heather Sackett, Oct. 21
The Craig PressSteamboat Pilot & Today, Sky-Hi News and The Aspen Times

Investment water speculation bill clears committee
By Heather Sackett, Oct. 30
The Aspen Times,  Vail Daily and Summit Daily News

Crystal River restoration finding its footing in Carbondale park
By Will Grandbois, Nov. 15
The Aspen Times, Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Ouray County asks state water board to delay filing aimed at instream flow protection
By Heather Sackett, Nov. 17
The Aspen Times, Ouray County Plaindealer

Aspen officials release plan laying out 50 years of water projects
By Heather Sackett, Nov. 22
The Aspen Times

Glenwood Canyon monitoring project gets funding for second phase
By Heather Sackett, Dec. 4
The Aspen TimesVail Daily and Glenwood Springs Post-Independent

Working within Colorado River’s 1922 water compact for 21st century focus of annual meeting
By Heather Sackett, Dec. 11
The Aspen TimesVail DailySteamboat Pilot & Today and Sky-Hi News

Scarcity the theme of Colorado River conference
By Heather Sackett, Dec. 15
The Aspen Times, Steamboat Pilot & Today, and Craig Press

Environment Desk

Microgrid feasibility study underway to connect Aspen airport, RFTA, public works
By Curtis Wackerle, Jan. 4
The Aspen Times and Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Air quality study near Aspen airport finds no adverse effects
By Curtis Wackerle, Jan. 20
The Aspen Times

Cellphone towers in Glenwood Canyon a tall task
By Curtis Wackerle, Mar. 8
The Glenwood Springs Post Independent and The Aspen Times

Soil-moisture monitoring station high in Castle Creek Valley completes local water-research network
By Natalie Keltner-McNeil, Mar. 29
The Aspen Times

Enforcement, education campaign to debut on Lead King Loop this summer near Marble
By Curtis Wackerle, Apr. 19
The Aspen Times

New dust-on-snow monitoring technology coming to Steamboat lab, expanding a growing snowpack data network
By Natalie Keltner-McNeil, Apr. 23
Steamboat Pilot & Today and The Aspen Times

Gunnison County appears unlikely to ban off-highway vehicles on road to Lead King Loop this summer
By Curtis Wackerle, May 5
The Aspen Times

OHV authorization will continue near Marble, but clock is ticking
By Curtis Wackerle, May 18
The Aspen Times

Environmental analysis puts Marble wetlands donation within reach
By Curtis Wackerle, May 28
The Aspen Times

Parking is a choke point in Marble’s motorized-use conundrum
By Curtis Wackerle, Jun. 18
The Aspen Times and Vail Daily

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness overnight overuse continues to increase
By Curtis Wackerle, Jul. 2
The Aspen Times

More intense backside land use a sticking point for Pandora’s
By Curtis Wackerle, Sept. 6
The Aspen Times

In Coal Basin, a hidden source of climate pollution
By Sarah Tory, Oct. 9
The Aspen Times

Sound — or the lack thereof — speaks volumes to local filmmaker, author and photographer
By Curtis Wackerle, Dec. 15
The Aspen Times

An ‘ambassador’ for the larger conservation mission
By Curtis Wackerle, Dec. 30

Social Justice Desk

Pandemic exposes valley’s digital divide
By Lindsey Fendt, Apr. 12
The Aspen Times and Glenwood Springs Post Independent

As Latino COVID vaccinations lag in the region, activists push for systemic change
By Hector Salas, May 14
The Aspen Times and Vail Daily

2020 census data highlights the relationship between resort communities and downvalley locales
By Laurine Lasalle, Sept. 11
The Aspen TimesSky-Hi News, Glenwood Springs Post Independent and Vail Daily

COVID-19 Desk

Tracking the Curve
By Laurine Lasalle
UPDATED 52 TIMES (WEEKLY) THROUGH 2021

Pitkin County’s COVID-19 testing capacity holds up despite setback
By Laurine Lasalle, Feb. 14
The Aspen Times

History Desk

Pioneer pluck in Hunter Creek
By Tim Cooney, May 30
Aspen Daily News 

Unbridled optimism meets mining realities
By Tim Cooney, Nov. 29
Aspen Daily News

Local Public Data Desk

Pitkin County trail use spiked 44%, reaching record levels in 2020
By Laurine Lasalle, Mar. 17
The Aspen Times

CPW plan could mean more bear hunting and better trash management
By Laurine Lasalle, Oct. 26
The Aspen Times and Vail Daily

A growing toll from bike and e-bike accidents
By Laurine Lasalle, Nov. 26
The Aspen Times, The Colorado Sun

Data dashboard posts

Data dashboard: Streamflows dropping and a hot start to summer
By Laurine Lasalle, Jun. 18

Data dashboard: Summer tourism is back, water levels keep dropping
By Laurine Lasalle, Jun. 25

Data dashboard: Wastewater flow rates track 2020’s unusual trends
By Laurine Lasalle, Jul. 2

Data dashboard: Air temperatures rise, while steams flow at one third of average
By Laurine Lasalle, Jul. 12

Data dashboard: Traffic in town is back to 2019 levels
By Laurine Lasalle, Jul. 16

Data dashboard: Summer occupancy poised to break records
By Laurine Lasalle, Jul. 23

Data dashboard: Lake Powell hits record low
By Laurine Lasalle, Jul. 30

Data dashboard: Rain boosts river levels
By Laurine Lasalle, Aug. 6

Data dashboard: Single-digit streamflows on the Fork, first look at local Census data
By Laurine Lasalle, Aug. 13

Data dashboard: Occupancy rates in Aspen and Snowmass hit new July record
By Laurine Lasalle, Aug. 20

Data dashboard: Air quality getting better
By Laurine Lasalle, Aug. 26

Data dashboard: July traffic in Aspen rebounds from 2020 but remains historically low
By Laurine Lasalle, Sept. 3

2020 census data highlights the relationship between resort communities and downvalley locales
By Laurine Lasalle, Sept. 11

Data dashboard: Record occupancy for Aspen in August; September poised to set new high mark
By Laurine Lasalle, Sept. 14

Data dashboard: Soil moisture catching up after starting out drier than usual
By Laurine Lasalle, Sept. 21

Data dashboard: Roaring Fork, Crystal rivers keep running below minimum instream flow
By Laurine Lasalle, Sept. 28

Data dashboard: Wastewater in August and September catches up with past trends
By Laurine Lasalle, Oct. 5

Data dashboard: Local streamflow increasing after recent rains
By Laurine Lasalle, Oct. 12

Data dashboard: September’s occupancy rates hit new record high
By Laurine Lasalle, Oct. 19

Data dashboard: Traffic growth in Aspen in September, while August was below average
By Laurine Lasalle, Oct. 26

Data dashboard: Lake Powell could reach critical water level next July
By Laurine Lasalle, Nov. 2

Data dashboard: October wastewater flow rates close to pre-pandemic seasons
By Laurine Lasalle, Nov. 9

Data dashboard: Maximum air temperature keeps swinging
By Laurine Lasalle, Nov. 16

Data dashboard: Summer occupancy in Aspen and Snowmass hits new record high
By Laurine Lasalle, Nov. 23

Data dashboard: Snowpack at Indy Pass sits just under 80% of historical average
By Laurine Lasalle, Nov. 30

Data dashboard: Local snowpacks fall further from average in early December
By Laurine Lasalle, Dec. 8

Data dashboard: Winter occupancy reaches pre-pandemic levels
By Laurine Lasalle, Dec. 14

Data dashboard: Air temperature drop and increased snowpack
By Laurine Lasalle, Dec. 21

Data dashboard: Snowpack levels spike back toward normal
By Laurine Lasalle, Dec. 27

Editions of The Roundup

February 26, 2021: The Roundup | February 26, 2021 Edition

March 12, 2021: The Roundup | March 12, 2021 Edition

March 19, 2021: The Roundup | March 19, 2021 Edition

April 2, 2021: The Roundup | April 2, 2021 Edition

April 9, 2021: The Roundup | April 9, 2021 Edition

April 23, 2021: The Roundup | April 23, 2021 Edition

April 30, 2021: The Roundup | April 30, 2021 Edition

May 7, 2021: The Roundup | May 7, 2021 Edition

May 14, 2021: The Roundup | May 14, 2021 Edition

May 21, 2021: The Roundup | May 21, 2021 Edition

May 28, 2021: The Roundup | May 28, 2021 Edition

June 4, 2021: The Roundup | June 4, 2021 Edition

June 11, 2021: The Roundup | ‘It can be kind of political’

June 19, 2021: The Roundup | Back to Marble and a new data dashboard

June 25, 2021: The Roundup | Measure what matters and expanding recreation’s clout

July 2, 2021: The Roundup | Augmentation versus conservation on the Crystal River

July 9, 2021: The Roundup | No vacancy signs coming to a trailhead near you

July 16, 2021: The Roundup | Developing a dependence on Colorado irrigation

July 23, 2021: The Roundup | Measuring water diversions and avoiding mudslides

July 30, 2021: The Roundup | Water shortages not waiting for demand management program

August 6, 2021: The Roundup | Rain, smoke, and the Delta variant

August 13, 2021: The Roundup | Streamflows struggling, Ruedi’s hydropower challenge

August 20, 2021: The Roundup | Local flows and occupancy rise

August 27, 2021: The Roundup | Our new Executive Director & recent news

September 3, 2021: The Roundup | Proposed storage project is a complicated solution to shortages

September 10, 2021: The Roundup | The Pandora’s debate

September 14, 2021: The Roundup | Upvalley vacancy, downvalley diversity

September 21, 2021: The Roundup | Homestake hike highlights uncertainties

September 28, 2021: The Roundup | Cooling the Yampa River

October 5, 2021: The Roundup | Glenwood-based River District prepares water-savings plan

October 12, 2021: The Roundup | Methane leaks lurking in Coal Basin

October 19, 2021: The Roundup | Streamflow data dive has implications for demand management

October 26, 2021: The Roundup | Water meetings need water reporters

November 2, 2021: The Roundup | Water speculation in the hot seat at the Capitol

November 9, 2021: The Roundup | Data updates & Tracking the Curve

November 16, 2021: The Roundup | The reason for a delay in a river restoration project

November 23, 2021: The Roundup | Engaging from a different angle

November 30, 2021: The Roundup | Hope Mine, e-bikes, local data & Giving NewsDay

December 14, 2021: The Roundup | How to divide the Colorado River

December 21, 2021: The Roundup | Water scarcity and ‘Seeing Silence’

December 28, 2021: The Roundup | COVID-19 and snowpack both on the rise

Water meetings attended

Jan. 13: Arkansas River Basin Roundtable

Jan. 13: Yampa River Basin Roundtable

Jan. 14: Aspen water plan community meeting

Jan. 18: Gunnison River Basin Roundtable

Jan. 19-20: Colorado River Water Conservation District

Jan. 21: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers

Jan. 25-26: Colorado Water Conservation Board

Jan. 28: Crystal River Caucus

Feb. 10: Yampa Roundtable special meeting

Feb. 17: State Anti-Speculation work group

Feb. 18: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers

March 2: CWCB Demand Management board workshop

March 3: Aspen water plan community meeting

March 8: Wild & Scenic stakeholders

March 10-11: CWCB

March 10: Yampa Roundtable

March 15: Gunnison Roundtable

March 17: Anti-Speculation work group

March 18: Healthy Rivers

March 29: Colorado River Basin Roundtable

March 31: River District board orientation

April 5: HUP call

April 13: South Platte Roundtable

April 14: Arkansas Roundtable

April 14: Eagle County Water Conservancy District

April 15: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers

April 19: Wild & Scenic stakeholders

April 20-21: River District board

April 23: Anti-speculation work group

May 6: Marble Town Council

May 11: Mt. Sopris Conservation District

May 12: Arkansas Roundtable

May 12: Yampa Roundtable 

May 17: Gunnison Roundtable

May 19-20: CWCB

May 19: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers

June 9: Arkansas Basin Roundtable

June 22: Pitkin County BOCC and River District 

June 23: HUP call

June 30: HUP call

July 14: Arkansas Basin Roundtable

July 14: Yampa Roundtable

July 19: Gunnison Roundtable

July 20-21: River District

July 21-22: CWCB

Aug. 5: Bureau of Reclamation Ruedi operations

Aug. 9: Anti-speculation meeting

Aug. 19: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers

Aug. 24-26: Colorado Water Congress

Sept. 15-16: CWCB

Sept. 27: Colorado Basin Roundtable

Oct. 1: River District annual seminar

Oct. 7: Marble Town Council

Oct. 19-20: River District quarterly board meeting

Oct. 27: Water Resources Review Committee, Denver

Nov. 3-4: Hutchins Water Forum, Mesa State University

Nov. 17-18: CWCB

Nov. 18: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers

Nov. 29: Colorado Basin Roundtable

Dec. 8: Marble Lead King Loop listening session

Dec. 14-16: CRWUA annual conference