Colorado River Archives - Inside Climate News

Lake Powell Drops to a New Record Low as Feds Scramble to Prop it Up

The wet winter, cutbacks in releases from Glen Canyon Dam and proposals from states to reduce demand aren’t enough to stem the reservoir’s decline, leading some activists to advise phasing it out.

By Alex Hager, KUNC

Eric Balken, executive director of Glen Canyon Institute, walks along a sandbar once submerged by Lake Powell. As the reservoir drops to record lows, areas that were underwater for decades have begun to emerge. Credit: Alex Hager

States Have Proposals, But No Consensus, On Curbing Water Shortages In Colorado River Basin

By Wyatt Myskow

More than two thirds of the Colorado River begins as snow in Colorado. However, warm temperatures and dry soil are steadily reducing the amount of snowmelt that makes its way into the river, which supplies 40 million people across the Southwest. Credit: Alex Hager/KUNC

This Winter’s Rain and Snow Won’t be Enough to Pull the West Out of Drought

By Alex Hager, KUNC

John Entsminger, who runs the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said states will probably come up with an "imperfect alternative" to last until 2026, when current rules for managing the Colorado River expire and states are expected to draw up a "longer-term, more durable solution." Credit: Alex Hager/KUNC

‘It Is Going to Take Real Cuts to Everyone’: Leaders Meet to Decide the Future of the Colorado River

By Alex Hager, KUNC

Bob Martin, who manages hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam, is grappling with the reality that generators could soon be shut off because of low water levels in Lake Powell. The Colorado River faces a growing supply-demand imbalance, and normal operations at the dam may suffer. Credit: Alex Hager

The ‘Power of Aridity’ is Bringing a Colorado River Dam to its Knees

By Alex Hager, KUNC

Lee's Ferry, pictured here, serves as the point where negotiators of the Colorado River Compact divided the river into two basins. Credit: Luke Runyon

The Colorado River Compact Turns 100 Years Old. Is It Still Working?

By Luke Runyon, KUNC

The Colorado River flows through fields of crops in Southern California. New water conservation plans from the Bureau of Reclamation could use money from the Inflation Reduction act to pay farmers and ranchers to temporarily pause some water use, an effort to boost levels in the nation's largest reservoirs. Credit: Ted Wood/The Water Desk

Feds Will Spend Billions to Boost Drought-Stricken Colorado River System

By Alex Hager, KUNC

State Tensions Rise As Water Cuts Deepen On The Colorado River

By Aydali Campa

As Lake Powell Hits Landmark Low, Arizona Looks to a $1 Billion Investment and Mexican Seawater to Slake its Thirst

By Aydali Campa

From a Raft in the Grand Canyon, the West’s Shifting Water Woes Come Into View

By Judy Fahys

A Crisis Of Water And Power On The Colorado River

Climate Change Ravaged the West With Heat and Drought Last Year; Many Fear 2021 Will Be Worse

By Judy Fahys

Humpback Chub 'Alien Abductions' Help Frame the Future of the Colorado River

By Judy Fahys

New Study Projects Severe Water Shortages in the Colorado River Basin

By Bob Berwyn

Scarce Water Threatens Utility Investors with Hidden Risks

By Lisa Song

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