Upper Basin Archives

COLORADO NEWSLINE: As litigation looms and drought takes its toll, state officials defiant over Colorado River’s future

August 21, 2026

Streamflows on Colorado’s Western Slope are at near-record or record lows By Chase Woodruff, Colorado Newsline Routt County rancher Philip...

INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS: Can a dam expansion hold back climate considerations on the Colorado River?

Maven

Colorado River

August 15, 2026

Climate change will almost certainly feature prominently in any multi-state litigation over the Colorado River. A court case over an...

UTAH NEWS DISPATCH: Utah won’t face mandatory cuts in feds’ new Colorado River proposal, but Lower Basin states could

Utah Dispatch

Colorado River

August 1, 2026

By Annie Knox, Utah News Dispatch After Utah and six other states along the Colorado River failed to reach a...

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Feds to impose new cuts on lower Colorado River states amid climate-fueled megadrought

Colorado Newsline

Colorado River

August 1, 2026

By Chase Woodruff, Colorado Newsline The federal government on Friday formalized a set of guidelines for managing water use in...

Reclamation publishes final environmental impact statement for future Colorado River operations

US Department of the Interior

Colorado River

July 31, 2026

Preferred alternative provides framework for post-2026 river operations with flexibility to adapt to changing needs Press release from the Department...

DRI and OpenET are partnering with the Upper Colorado River Commission and the Bureau of Reclamation to expand evaporation monitoring on the Colorado River

Desert Research Institute

Colorado River

July 24, 2026

From the Desert Research Institute: DRI and OpenET are partnering with the Upper Colorado River Commission and the Bureau of...

ASPEN JOURNALISM: Western Slope lawmakers take Colorado River managers to task

Aspen Journalism

Colorado River

June 30, 2026

Missed deadlines, threat of litigation, conservation program prompt questions By Heather Sackett, Aspen Journalism Western Slope lawmakers had harsh words...

CRONKITE NEWS: Utah senator warns Arizona, other downstream states, they’ll forfeit $354M in conservation aid if they sue over Colorado River water

Cronkite News

Colorado River

June 11, 2026

by Marcus Reichley, Cronkite News The chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee warned Arizona and two other...

CIRCLE OF BLUE: Hoover Dam approaches a hydropower cliff

Circle of Blue

Colorado River

May 31, 2026

Big cuts in generating capacity are coming. by Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Some day in the next 12 months...

ASPEN JOURNALISM: Fish out of water: Historic drought leaves little water for endangered species in critical stretch of Colorado River

Aspen Journalism

Colorado River

May 2, 2026

By Heather Sackett, Aspen Journalism With drought and high temperatures putting unprecedented pressure on water users throughout Colorado, from cities...