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...

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...

MET IMPORTED WATER COMMITTEE: Lower Basin pushes back as Reclamation advances drought actions

Maven

Colorado River

April 29, 2026

The Colorado River Basin has been sliding toward a critically dry year since January—enough to put extraordinary federal action on...

CIRCLE OF BLUE: Glen Canyon Dam faces its existential moment

Circle of Blue

Colorado River

April 29, 2026

Iconic structure becomes Colorado River’s biggest water chokepoint. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue In the span of U.S. history...

HIGH COUNTRY NEWS: Emergency plans for the Colorado River buy time, not solutions

High Country News

Colorado River

April 24, 2026

The federal government ordered Flaming Gorge water released and cuts to Lake Powell releases, to prevent collapse. By Caitlin Ochs,...

CIRCLE OF BLUE: U.S. Government orders emergency actions to protect Glen Canyon Dam

Circle of Blue

Colorado River

April 20, 2026

Extraordinary moves in the struggling Colorado River basin could prompt historic lawsuits. by Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Difficult decisions...

PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation Acts to Protect Colorado River System During Historic Drought

Bureau of Reclamation News

Colorado River

April 17, 2026

The prolonged drought combined with the lowest winter snowpack on record is requiring swift actions to protect this vital water...

MET COMMITTEE: ‘The river is deciding for us’: Shrinking flexibility and rising stakes on the Colorado River

Maven

Colorado River

April 15, 2026

Over the past several years, the Colorado River Basin states have been working, with limited success, on guidelines that will...

ASPEN JOURNALISM: Upper Basin states test methods to fill Powell pool

Aspen Journalism

Colorado River

March 20, 2026

States say automatically turning to agriculture isn’t always reliable By Heather Sackett, Aspen Journalism With a Lake Powell conservation pool...

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Major water right approval could protect ample Colorado River flows

Colorado Newsline

Colorado River

November 21, 2025

By Chase Woodruff, Colorado Newsline State leaders are applauding another major step finalized Wednesday toward permanently protecting upper Colorado River...