Water infrastructure repair and funding opportunities are among high-priority topics as the group prepares to recommend policy solutions to state legislators.
Shannon Mullane
Shannon Mullane writes about the Colorado River Basin and Western water issues for The Colorado Sun. She frequently covers water news related to Western tribes, Western Slope and Colorado with an eye on issues related to resource management, the environment and equity. Her work is funded by a grant from the Catena Foundation.
Born in East Tennessee, Shannon has been in Colorado for about a decade and is based in Durango in southwest Colorado. Before joining the Sun's team, she contributed award-winning reporting on government, environment, health and more as a staff writer for The Durango Herald and as an intern for the Colorado Independent. She has also contributed reporting and photography to High Country News, The Salt Lake Tribune, ProPublica and Collective Colorado.
During her master's program at the University of Colorado Boulder, she focused her studies on environmental issues in Colorado and the West. Shannon attained a conversational fluency in French while working as an English language teacher in southern France.
Topic Expertise: Colorado River Basin, Colorado water, tribal water, water management, environment
Location: Durango
Language(s) in addition to English: French
Education: University of Tennessee, Knoxville (BA global studies, minor: french, grad: 2014); University of Colorado Boulder (MA in journalism, focus on environmental journalism, grad: 2019)
Honors & Awards: Shannon has received 18 awards in news contests. The Society of Professional Journalists, Colorado chapter, awarded Shannon with seven first-place awards; three, second place; and three, third place between 2019 and 2022 in the multi-state Top of the Rockies contest. The Colorado Press Association awarded Shannon three first-place awards and two second place awards between 2019 and 2022 in the Better News Contest.
Professional membership(s): Society of Environmental Journalists; Indigenous Journalists Association
Contact:
X (Formerly Twitter): @shannonmullane
Posted inWater
Colorado’s vibrant fall foliage offers more than visual splendor and an economic boost. It’s an indicator of water conditions.
With Colorado’s annual display of fall colors continuing into mid-October, experts break down color-change science and what it reveals about Colorado’s water challenges.
Posted inWater
San Luis Valley officials create regional board to vet water export projects
Valley residents say they don’t have more water to lose, and officials hope the new review board will help protect local economies and water resources.
Posted inWater
After a wet year, can Colorado hope for a repeat? Not quite, experts say.
The 2023 water year was one of the wettest periods in over a century. “It was a season of abundance,” one reservoir manager said.
Posted inWater
Colorado River officials extend stumbling program that pays farmers, ranchers to use less water
The 2023 program spent more and saved less water than in the past, but officials say there’s more that can be learned about water conservation in the next round.
Posted inWater
How do Colorado towns grow when they have limited water for new homes? Ask Buena Vista.
Colorado’s need for more affordable housing is on a collision course with the state’s limited water supply. Buena Vista is testing out a new way to link water, housing and community values.
Posted inWater
Colorado faces a water-stressed future. Here’s how the state uses its existing supply.
Colorado’s cities, industries and farms will face increasing water shortages as temperatures climb and depending on how the state responds.
Posted inWater
Was the leading Colorado River conservation program a flop? Officials say no, but it wasn’t perfect either.
As the postmortem begins, Colorado River officials and water users say the program should continue even as they wonder if it had enough bang for the buck.
Posted inWater
Colorado River Basin states stake out positions on the future of Mead, Powell reservoirs
Basin states continue to disagree on how to change the reservoirs’ operations, but they do agree that the current rules don’t work.
Posted inWater
Colorado’s top water agency hires Lauren Ris as its new director, ready today to face formidable challenges
Ris will lead the Colorado Water Conservation Board in addressing critical water supply, quality issues statewide.