Leaders of environmental groups are issuing fresh warnings this week about the impacts the ongoing gridlock could have in the river basin.

More than a century after the Mountain West’s silver and gold rushes, mercury used to process those metals is still moving through a northern Nevada river system and showing up in local wildlife.

Less snowfall means less water in rivers and reservoirs. The economies in many of these communities rely in part on water activities.

The federal government manages the biggest dams on the Colorado River, but it hasn't been taking a forceful role in negotiations between the states on how to allocate increasingly scarce water in the basin.

At less than 140,000 square miles, snow cover across the region was the lowest ever recorded on February 1 in the satellite record, which goes back to 2001. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) call it the “worst snowpack on record.”

Parks and Wildlife also has plans to install a new $1.3 million dip tank to improve the decontamination of boats visiting the Highline Lake, a large reservoir near Grand Junction, where mussels were detected in 2022.

A lack of snow, compounded by warm temperatures, has plagued Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. That will impact how much water is available come spring runoff.

Across the Mountain West, groundwater is the unseen force keeping springs flowing, wetlands green, and desert plants alive. Now, a new interactive tool is making that hidden water easier to see.

The idea of a linear fuel break, or LFB, is pretty straightforward: by clearing grass or other fuel along fire-prone roads, or planting fire-resistant vegetation, you can slow the spread of wildfire. New research suggests they may save more money than they cost to install and maintain.

Pressure to reach a deal is building. Forecasts for the Colorado River water supply continue to worsen as snowpack lags far behind normal across the West. And negotiators from the basins have said there are "sticking points" that have persisted in recent weeks, even after marathon talks failed to resolve them.