Water & Drought

Keystone Resort in Colorado was the first resort in the country to open in 2025, in part due to their emphasis on early-season snowmaking. As climate change amplifies drought in the Mountain West, ski areas across the region are considering how best to use increasingly scarce water resources.

The Colorado River District has cleared an important hurdle in securing the Shoshone water right, which is an in-stream flow agreement with the state. The deal is designed in part to protect Colorado River water levels, and it was approved despite objections from utility companies on the Front Range.

Warmer temperatures in November meant that less snowpack accumulated. But storms did increase soil moisture in the Upper Colorado River Basin, making future precipitation more likely to run off slopesides and boost rivers and streams.

This week’s Water Wednesday Outdoor Report looks at early-season snowpack levels across the San Miguel, Dolores, Animas, and San Juan basins, recent precipitation totals around the region, and how upcoming moisture may influence drought conditions.

Drought, shrinking herds, high feed and energy costs, and slow herd rebuilding are driving beef prices higher, with impacts likely to last through the decade.

The federal government set a deadline of November 11 for states to have a framework for allocating Colorado River water post-2026. The states missed that deadline, and have failed to produce an agreement.

Researchers in western Colorado are studying tree rings along the Crystal River to understand its natural flow — and build a case for keeping it wild and free.

The Colorado River Indian Tribes grant personhood to the Colorado River, affirming its rights and cultural importance in a growing global movement.

The seven states that use the Colorado River have until November 11th to present a basic plan to the federal government for how to allocate water in the river. But negotiations have been contentious, and spectators aren't sure whether there will be consensus.

Colorado farmers and ranchers can now apply for a new Agricultural Stewardship Tax Credit, offering up to $3 million annually for conservation practices that improve soil health, water efficiency, and ecosystem diversity. The refundable credit rewards producers for adopting or maintaining techniques like no-till farming, rotational grazing, and pollinator habitat planting. Applications are open now, with attestation statements due by November 10th.