climate change

This past water year was dry, with not all of the snowpack making it into the basin's rivers and streams. Forecasters will be looking out for conditions driven by climate change and prolonged drought as they consider what Water Year 2026 will bring.

A group of nonprofits is calling for reductions to water demand, changes at Glen Canyon Dam and more transparent negotiations.

University of Montana Climate Office launches regional project to strengthen drought resilience while the Four Corners shifts its focus to snowpack

Recent rains have eased the worst drought conditions in western Colorado after one of the hottest, driest summers on record. While exceptional drought has retreated, severe to extreme drought lingers across much of the Western Slope, with flash floods adding new risks.

The Grizzly Creek Fire was one of many fires Colorado experienced during the 2020 season, and it had huge impacts on the delicate ecosystem of Glenwood Canyon. Five years later, land managers are positive on the regrowth and recovery they're seeing.

From September 9 through 16, 2013, catastrophic floods swept across Colorado's Front Range, forcing thousands from their homes and leaving entire neighborhoods underwater. In Longmont, the St. Vrain Creek burst its banks, causing nearly $150 million in infrastructure damage. The city rebuilt with resilience in mind, and its efforts have earned recognition from the United Nations.

The Public Lands Rule allowed conservation to be managed as part of BLM's multiple-use mandate, along with other uses like mining and grazing. The Trump administration now says that rule doesn't pass muster.

A University of Utah study used data from wildfires in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California to look at how private forests for industrial timber harvest were impacted by severe fire weather, brought about by climate change.

About 65% of the Western U.S. is in drought, with Lake Mead and Lake Powell below one-third full. Experts warn the region may face a deeper water crisis without multiple strong snow seasons.

Yale's Climate Opinion Maps now include questions asking Americans about specific extreme weather events like wildfires and floods and how they relate to climate change. More than other Mountain West states, Colorado residents link climate change to these severe weather events.