Western Water Reporting
Throughout the history of the American West, water issues have shown their ability to both unite and divide communities. As an imbalance between water supplies and demands grows in the region, KSUT is committed to covering the stories that emerge.
Reporters Luke Runyon and Alex Hager cover the Colorado River basin. They report from the snowy headwaters in Colorado to Lakes Powell and Mead, to the river's delta in Mexico.
KSUT is a member of Western Water Reporting along with stations throughout Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, California, Nevada, Wyoming, and Kansas. Stories are produced at KUNC in Greeley, Colorado.
LATEST STORIES
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Colorado's Rocky Mountains have reached peak snowpack, but climate change is changing the way snow turns to water. States around the region are debating new rules for the river that center around new water deficits.
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Newly discovered damage to part of the dam holding back America's second-largest reservoir has people who rely on the Colorado River worried about their ability to get the water they need.
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Damage inside Glen Canyon Dam could mean problems with the "river outlet works," a set of small tubes near the bottom of the dam that were originally intended to release excess water when the reservoir is nearing full capacity. The dam allows water to pass through to the Colorado River and Grand Canyon.
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A coalition of environmental groups has proposed a set of new rules for managing the Colorado River amid heated negotiations about how to share the water supply, which is shrinking due to climate changed.
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The Gila River Indian Tribe (GRIC) in Arizona said it does not support the Lower Basin's proposal for post-2026 river management, adding a new layer to complicated negotiations.
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The seven states that use water from the Colorado River have proposed competing plans for how it should be managed after 2026. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming have one plan in mind. California, Arizona and Nevada have a different idea. The states primarily disagree about the how to account for climate change and how to release water from Lake Powell.
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The laws that govern our region’s rivers and reservoirs are tough to wrap your mind around. But art can create an emotional connection that helps people understand what’s at stake, as seen in one painter’s depiction of the Colorado River.
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Data from Colorado Parks and Wildlife shows an increase in swiftwater deaths amid a snowy, rainy year.
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Farmers in California's Imperial Valley have the single largest water allocation along the Colorado River. They say they need to be compensated before taking cutbacks.
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JB Hamby represents the state of California in Colorado River negotiations. The 27 year-old is leaning on history and his Imperial Valley upbringing for guidance.
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A snowy winter and rainy spring have provided a major boost to states in the grips of drought and helped ease pressure on water managers in the Colorado River basin.
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The Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo Nation in a case centered on the tribe’s rights to the drying Colorado River. The tribe claimed it was the federal government’s legal duty to help figure out their future water needs, and aid them in using their rights. But in a 5-4 decision, the justices said an 1868 treaty included no such promises.
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The Yampa River is full of snowmelt on its way to the Colorado River, bringing temporary relief for farms, fish and millions of people in the Southwest.
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After a Colorado River conservation agreement between California, Arizona and Nevada, states and tribes are turning their attention to a new round of pre-2026 negotiations.
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The nation's second-largest reservoir has been shrinking as drought and steady demand strain the Colorado River. Lake Powell water levels are low, but canyons and ecosystems are emerging.
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Scientists in Colorado are studying snow sublimation, in which snow evaporates before can melt into water. The new data collected will help water managers across the West understand Colorado River supply.