Colorado River

In the arid Mountain West, rivers are under growing pressure — from climate change, drought and rising demand for water. But new research from New Mexico suggests some river ecosystems may be more resilient than they appear.

It’s been so dry this winter that the Glen Canyon Dam at the outlet of Lake Powell could stop producing hydropower. Wyoming’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir might end up shipping water downstream to help.

Estevan López, New Mexico's water negotiator, said talks resumed March 2, and the upper and lower basin states are using a short-term pitch from Nevada as a starting point.

The sluggish Colorado River negotiations have entered a new phase: Long and fiery letter writing.

A new report finds 2025 brought widespread drought, massive wildfires and destructive windstorms across several Mountain West states — and underscores how closely connected those disasters have become.

Week two of the budget session is when all lawmakers get their first chance to weigh in on how much, and on what, the state will spend over the next two years. Until this point, only a small group has shaped the budget. WyoFile's Maggie Mullen and Wyoming Public Radio's Chris Clements break down the process, from the Senate's Big Beautiful Amendment to the House's late nights and tense debates. They've got the latest on Checkgate, too.

Leaders of environmental groups are issuing fresh warnings this week about the impacts the ongoing gridlock could have in the river basin.

The Fetcher ranch in northwest Colorado is on the frontlines this year of record-low snowpack across the West. It's adding a sense of urgency among seven states to finalize a plan for how to conserve the dwindling Colorado River.

Legislation based around “chemtrail” conspiracy theories was killed by lawmakers, although there’s still a narrow window for it to resurface. Meanwhile, the state's approval for cloud seeding, which is at the root of the conspiracies, is moving forward.

Lawmakers are discussing the pilot program as western states remain at an impasse about the future of the Colorado River.