Colorado negotiators hoped Blue Mesa, Flaming Gorge and Navajo reservoirs would be out of federal reach, but the Bureau of Reclamation is keeping options open.
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Posted inWater
Colorado is drought-free for the first time since 2019. Will it last?
Over the past 22 years, the state has only seen short breaks from drought often followed by longer, more severe drought conditions.
Posted inWater
Side-by-side photos show how much Blue Mesa Reservoir’s water levels have risen thanks to this winter’s snow
Pictures document “Big Blue” in 2021 and again in 2023
Posted inWater
A wet year promises a boost to both Colorado River Basin reservoirs and ecosystems
The basin’s largest reservoirs might see slight recovery, but they’re far from being full.
Posted inEnvironment
It’s all white: Colorado’s statewide snowpack tops 140%, though reservoirs are still low
Deep mountain snow in Colorado is good news, but what really matters is how reservoirs and soil moisture are replenished when it melts
Posted inEnvironment
Where are the salmon? Kokanee numbers drastically drop in Blue Mesa, Gunnison river
Even if there were several back to back winters with deep snow and Blue Mesa filled to the brim, it would still take years for the kokanee to return to pre-drought population
Posted inEnvironment
At Colorado’s largest reservoir, one national park scientist shifts her focus to toxic algae
Blue-green algae is native to Colorado’s largest reservoir. Two research projects seek reasons for its toxic bloom at Blue Mesa and how to stop it.
Posted inPolitics and Government
With the CORE Act stalled, its supporters want Biden to protect Colorado’s public lands right now through executive action
CAMP HALE —Supporters of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act, after watching the bill fail to advance past the U.S. Senate for several years, are asking President Joe Biden to take executive action to protect the tens of thousands of acres of federal land in Colorado the measure aims to shield. And they appear to […]
Posted inWater
Upper Basin states layout plan to help the Colorado River, but still say Lower Basin needs to chip in more
Colorado is among four states that sent a letter Monday to the Bureau of Reclamation with a plan, but also maintained the Lower Basin would need to take significant action
Posted inNews, Outdoors
Hanging Lake trail set to reopen earlier than expected; Blue Mesa marinas will be closed for the summer
Hanging Lake trail near Glenwood Springs is set to reopen months ahead of schedule on June 25, nearly a year after sections were washed away by mudslides in the wake of a wildfire. But, the marinas at Blue Mesa Reservoir in southwest Colorado will be closed for the season. The mixed news for tourists and […]