Water Management

New research finds the Upper Colorado River Basin lost an estimated 4.6 trillion gallons of groundwater during a severe drought, raising concerns about Western water supplies.

New satellite observations show that some global river models struggle to account for dams, reservoirs, and other human influences, raising questions about their reliability for water planning.

California and the Great Basin, which includes much of Utah, had especially strong connections. Runoff conditions and soil moisture were synchronized two-thirds of the time.

New research found the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains had some of the most substantial increases in annual burned area. Aging infrastructure further complicates the danger.

The river's complicated calendar means Arizona's water cuts won't become official until Jan. 1. The state is polishing up deal with California and Nevada to spread out the pain of cutbacks.

The new agreement means less water for Mexico, but provides stability to those who use the Colorado River near its delta.

Dozens of federally recognized tribes have legal and cultural claims on the Colorado River. Yet those tribes are often left out of negotiations and struggle to access water they're entitled to.

States that share the Colorado River have been meeting behind closed doors. But as they've failed to forge a deal for the river's future, more are questioning the negotiation process itself.

After years of disagreement between states, the federal government stepped in last month with a plan. Nevada is already suing, and more litigation could follow.

Under new regulations finalized last week, Nevada's share will be cut by over 70%. California and Arizona also face mandatory cuts that Upper Basin states like Utah avoided.