Basin states continue to disagree on how to change the reservoirs’ operations, but they do agree that the current rules don’t work.
Lake Mead
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Why is Lake Powell so important to the Colorado River? Here’s what you need to know.
The massive lake acts like a savings bank for water users, but the account balance is low enough to make officials from across the West nervous
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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
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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.
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What Colorado water officials think of the federal government’s proposed Colorado River cuts
Colorado water agencies say the onus is on Lower Basin states to carve a path forward.
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Colorado’s snowpack is peaking higher than usual — which brings spring flooding to mind
Emergency managers are prepping for high spring runoff as a precaution, even as more snow piles on.
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Colorado River Basin reservoirs still face grim outlook despite healthy snowpack
Winter snow accumulation offers water officials a breather as they face the basin’s long-term drought.
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California releases its plan for Colorado River cuts, evaporation loss not included
California wants cuts based on Lake Mead elevation and not on water lost to evaporation and transportation, which Colorado and other states propose
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International water researcher highlights Colorado Basin’s “disappearing” groundwater
Satellite data shows groundwater has dropped faster across the Colorado River Basin than reservoir levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead
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Colorado River managers looking to release less water from Lake Powell
Another significantly dry year combined with a 7 million acre-foot release could drop the reservoir below the point at which the dam can no longer generate hydropower