News
The Colorado River is at a tipping point, as states, feds look for a way forward
1+ week, 6+ hour ago (1796+ words) On the heels of a warm, dry, winter, the Colorado River is at a tipping point. Its biggest reservoirs are draining, climate change is making the region warmer and drier, and leaders have not been able to come up with…...
Mountain West Consortium Bets on Geothermal as the Region's Next Big Power Source
3+ week, 4+ day ago (405+ words) The Mountain West is positioning itself for a new kind of energy boom " one that taps the heat beneath our feet. Ahead of a public kickoff this week, during the Western Governors Association meeting in Salt Lake City, Mike O'Connor,…...
North Rim of Grand Canyon reopens after major wildfire
4+ week, 14+ hour ago (299+ words) After last year's devastating wildfire, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is back open. The Dragon Bravo Fire burned across about 145, 000 acres and destroyed nearly half of all structures on the North Rim. While some trails, viewpoints and business…...
Record low snowpack and ongoing drought mean big concerns for Colorado agriculture
1+ mon, 4+ day ago (819+ words) In April 2025, the Taylor-Oswald Ranch had nearly 20 inches of moisture for the month; this year, that number had dropped to 12. 75 inches of moisture for the same time period. "So the little creek that runs down through our lower ranch has…...
Here's a look at the 36 races for governor this year
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (231+ words) During the midterm elections, much of the country's attention is on the balance of power in Congress, but voters in 36 states will also have a say in electing a governor this year. There is a lot at stake. Across the…...
Severe Colorado River drought leads to water releases from Upper Basin reservoirs and reduced flows from Lake Powell
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (886+ words) The Bureau of Reclamation is taking emergency action to protect Lake Powell, the Upper Colorado River Basin's largest reservoir, and its infrastructure in the face of ongoing drought. The agency announced on April 17 that it would release between 600-thousand and…...
Amid budget cuts, legislators and statewide officeholders set for pay increase next year
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (602+ words) The winners of elections for legislative seats and statewide offices in November can expect to receive larger paychecks than elected officials get now. A set of pay increases that resulted from a 2024 bill that created an independent commission to examine…...
Uncertainty looms as another deadline passes for the Colorado River with no deal in sight
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (778+ words) The seven states that use the Colorado River remain deadlocked on how to allocate water amid historic and worsening drought conditions. February 14, 2026, marked yet another deadline that negotiators let pass by without submitting a plan to the federal government. The…...
Tribal leaders urge Congress to protect the Gila River
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (285+ words) As the Trump administration pushes for more development and resource extraction, Tribal leaders and community advocates are calling on Congress to protect one of the Southwest's last free-flowing rivers. The M. H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act would…...
March heat wave is "particularly alarming," but not our new normal, yet
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (312+ words) The historic heat wave that shattered more than 1, 500 temperature records across the West last week broke more this week. That climate change-driven heat was a hit to Colorado's already record-low snowpack, down to 38% of normal on March 25. The melt-out forced…...