environment

Utah’s Supreme Court has upheld a ruling rejecting a proposal to pipe 55,000 acre-feet of Green River water from Utah to Colorado’s Front Range. The long-debated project, led by Fort Collins developer Aaron Million and Water Horse Resources, would have sent water more than 300 miles across Wyoming. The court agreed with the state engineer’s finding that Water Horse must prove the water would be beneficially used in Colorado before any export can be approved. Conservation groups are calling the decision a major victory for the Colorado River, while Million says the project isn’t over yet.

Drought and steady demand along the Colorado River are draining the nation's second-largest reservoir. Land that was once submerged is now full of beavers and thriving ecosystems.

The Trump administration has named Scott Cameron acting commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and Andrea Travnicek assistant Interior secretary for water and science—two key roles overseeing the Colorado River amid tense negotiations between Basin states.

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

Increased immigration enforcement across the country has caused local celebrations of Latino Conservation Week to become smaller and more intimate. In Glenwood Springs, the community gathered to plant trees.

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.

Aspens across the San Juans are starting to turn, with peak fall color expected from late September into early October. Early changes are showing near Silverton, Red Mountain Pass, and Telluride, while Dolores, Rico, and La Plata Canyon remain mostly green.

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.

The Bureau of Reclamation has lowered Navajo Dam releases from 650 to 500 cfs to support endangered fish habitat along the San Juan River. Flows will remain within recovery program targets, with adjustments possible based on conditions.

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.