Dear Deeply Readers,
Welcome to the archives of Water Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on November 1, 2018, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on water resilience. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors and contributors.
We continue to produce events and special projects while we explore where the on-site journalism goes next. If you’d like to reach us with feedback or ideas for collaboration you can do so at [email protected].
Exploring water issues in other western states, including Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
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The project is designed to help secure water for growing Front Range communities near Denver, but environmental groups are concerned that more diversions and climate change impacts will leave too little water in the river.
Gary Wockner Award-Winning Activist and Writer
River protection advocate Gary Wockner says there is no evidence so far that water markets will be a cure for the West’s ailing rivers, and instead there should be more investment in a “rights of nature” approach.
Laura Ziemer Senior Water Counsel, Trout Unlimited
Dan Keppen Executive Director, Family Farm Alliance
Farmers and conservationists have already demonstrated that collaborative water projects work, but more funding is needed, say representatives from Trout Unlimited and the Family Farm Alliance.
The lead author of the new study says a 30 percent decline in mountain snowpack is “very likely” and greater losses are possible. The report points the finger at human-induced changes in the climate.
Lots of rain and snow this year bode well for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow and that’s good news for the whole river and the riparian ecosystem.
A report from a conservation group working in New Mexico provides an alternative plan to help an overtapped Rio Grande by changing where water is stored in the river system.
A new report warns that Arizona could suffer the most pain if Lake Mead’s shrinkage triggers a shortage declaration. The state has done a lot to prepare, but more drastic steps may be necessary.
With two major reservoirs on the Colorado River, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, sitting half empty, will a new hydrologic reality be enough to push for big management changes? One conservation group hopes so.
We’re growing our coverage of crucial water issues to include states across the American West, with a continued focus on California and the Colorado River Basin states.
Do people only care about water during extreme drought, like California’s recent one? It turns out most Americans care a lot about water and have strong feelings on infrastructure spending and other water-related issues.
A new book from veteran writer David Owen explores the complexities of water issues in the Colorado River basin, including obligations to Mexico, energy production, agriculture and other economic and social drivers.
The $20 billion wall proposed to control illegal immigration will have to cross dozens of rivers along the 2,000-mile (3,200km) border with Mexico. Water supply, water quality, flood control, wildlife and groundwater recharge are all at risk.
Sinjin Eberle Communications Director/Executive Producer, American Rivers
Now is not the time to forgo smart water management – conservation and innovative sharing are the key to long-range water sustainability, writes Sinjin Eberle of American Rivers.
Oregon and Washington lead the way in state programs that facilitate environmental water transfers. A new Stanford study concludes Colorado Basin states, including California, have lots of catching up to do.
Golf course designer Andy Staples says the industry needs to embrace its new reality, part of which is influenced by water scarcity, by changing expectations and carving out room for non-golfers.
A new home on the dry side of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains proves it’s possible to capture and process all the water a family needs, offering possibilities to meet housing needs in drought-stricken areas.
Environmental Defense Fund is launching a new Western water strategy that aims to solve the problems of groundwater depletion and habitat restoration by working jointly with farmers.
An executive order issued yesterday by Donald Trump puts in motion a process to do away with an Obama administration-era ruling on which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act.
A new study found that precipitation alone could not explain all of the decline in river flows in the Colorado River during 14 years of drought. The research is helping to paint a picture of how rising temperatures will affect the river.
The U.S. Forest Service plans to unveil a genetic database of all streams and lakes in the western United States. Dan Isaak explains the new sampling techniques he calls the “holy grail” of biology.
In case you missed a few favorites, we rounded up some of the popular reads from this year on Water Deeply about the California drought and water issues in the West.
Based in Bozeman, Montana, Headwaters Economics is helping communities across the Western U.S. that are in the “wildland-urban interface” to develop fire resiliency in their planning processes.
In her new study about the Rio Grande, researcher Luzma Nava concludes that a simple change to a treaty could improve the border river’s imperiled environment. But political will may be lacking.
The launch of a new generation of weather satellites is expected to bring dramatic improvements in imagery and, eventually, more accurate prediction of storms and natural disasters.
A major federal court decision requires reassessment of four dams on the Lower Snake River in Washington, and may set a precedent for others. The dams block access to some 5,500 miles of historic salmon spawning.
A team of scientists declares in a new report explaining the effects of climate change on the Colorado River that there won’t be any “breakthroughs” to save us from water scarcity.
Unusually warm waters along the Pacific Coast, dubbed “the Blob,” have severely disrupted weather and wildlife since 2014. Meteorologist Nicholas Bond explains the phenomenon.
A synthesis of 100 recent studies finds that water storage reservoirs emit as much greenhouse gases as Canada. Two of the authors explain how this happens.
Salmon populations are struggling on the West Coast despite laws meant to protect them. Some blame the Endangered Species Act, but others say federal agencies are to blame for failing to enforce regulations.
Beetles are killing trees in the Western United States and it seems only logical that the dead, dry trees would increase risk of wildfires, but recent scientific studies suggest the issue is more complicated.
In a new book, “Water Is for Fighting Over, and Other Myths About Water in the West,” author John Fleck shares stories about how collaboration instead of conflict is driving water decisions in the Colorado River basin.
An agreement by California to draw less water from the Colorado River to help boost water levels at Lake Mead could accelerate the shrinkage of the already precarious Salton Sea, endangering air quality and wildlife habitat.
Utah wants to spend $1.5 billion building dams on the Bear River, the largest tributary of Great Salt Lake. Both industry and environmental groups say it isn’t necessary.
Atmospheric rivers are responsible for a huge share of California’s precipitation. Weather expert Marty Ralph explains new efforts that aim to forecast these storms for the first time.
After 16 years of drought in the Colorado River Basin, Lake Mead has hit its lowest point ever. Here’s a look at what impact this will have on the 19 million Californians who depend on the water supply.
NASA scientist Benjamin Cook recently led a study that found California and the Southwest are likely to see droughts of 30 years or longer, thanks to climate change. He tells us how he figured that out.
Konrad Fisher Director, Klamath Riverkeeper
The much-celebrated agreement to remove dams along the Klamath River has been hailed as a win for fish, but the river ecosystem needs more than just dam removal. Increased water flows are also paramount.
John Fleck Former Science Writer, Albuquerque Journal
More than hot talk and small steps are needed to resolve chronic problems on the Colorado River.
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