Latest Stories
2 Utah projects get federal funding to help improve water systems in the West
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted May 6 - 9:04 p.m.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced Monday $147 million in federal grants to help underserved communities dogged by water scarcity issues.
Why Colorado River basin states are split on long-term plan to manage its water
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted May 5 - 12:20 p.m.
The Upper and Lower basin states are split on a long-term plan to manage Lake Powell and Lake Mead, but meetings between the two sides are expected to pick up this month.
The Colorado River is vital in Utah. Here's why it's going to get even more publicity
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted May 1 - 6:15 a.m.
The Colorado River plays an important role in Utah and across the West. KSL.com is participating in a new collaborative to report on the issues tied to its future.
As Great Salt Lake nears key level, Utah finds inspiration elsewhere to help lake's recovery
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted April 30 - 8:03 a.m.
The Great Salt Lake continues to improve from a record low in 2022, but Utah natural resources officials recently took trips to two other sites to learn what may help keep the lake's recovery going.
Feds update Lake Powell projections; Upper Basin to receive nearly $30M in new funds
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted April 17 - 12:00 p.m.
Lake Powell is expected to rise about another 30 feet in the coming months, according to a new report.
Cox optimistic Utah will end up with 'fair' Colorado River allocation as negotiations continue
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted March 22 - 2:01 p.m.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says he's "optimistic" Utah and the six other Colorado River Basins states will be able to reach an agreement on how to share the river's vital water supply.
Here's how much Lake Powell is expected to rise this year
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted March 20 - 8:18 a.m.
Lake Powell is expected to receive a decent bump in the coming months, but experts say it still has a "long way to go" after years of drought.
Utah, other Colorado River Basin states far from 'consensus' on Lake Powell, Lake Mead future
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted March 6 - 11:08 p.m.
The two divisions of the Colorado River Basin system have different ideas of how to manage the future of the country's two largest reservoirs in the long term.
Feds adopt emergency Colorado River plan that aims to save Lake Powell and Lake Mead
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted March 5 - 7:01 p.m.
Federal officials are enacting a "significant" emergency Colorado River plan they believe will reduce water consumption by at least 3 million acre-feet over the next few years.
Here's where Utah's 'Mighty 5' visitation ranks on the list of all national parks
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted March 2 - 4:02 p.m.
Utah continues to have some of the most-visited national parks, while one of the state's other assets also placed strong nationally in 2023.
Utah passes agriculture water optimization measure, weighs another change
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 14 - 4:03 p.m.
A Utah bill tied to agriculture water optimization was passed Wednesday, while another another advanced through a committee.
In rural Utah, concern over efforts to use Colorado River water to extract lithium
Suman Naishadham And Brittany Peterson, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 10 - 8:26 p.m.
A company's plan in southeast Utah to extract lithium is adding to an anxiety familiar in this part of the arid American West: how the project could affect water from the Colorado River.
Could Utah get more water from outside the state? Proposed bill opens that option
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 10 - 7:21 a.m.
A proposed bill would set up a council to oversee water discussions with outside entities; however, critics are concerned about transparency issues with the way the bill is set up.
Water-guzzling 'hot drought' in the West is unprecedented in at least 5 centuries, study suggests
Rachel Ramirez, CNN | Posted Jan. 28 - 7:51 a.m.
The West's recent heat-driven megadroughts are unprecedented in at least 500 years, new research shows.
Feds approve states' near-term plan to cut Colorado River use in 3 states
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Oct. 27 - 7:02 p.m.
The Department of the Interior says it will implement a plan sought by the seven Colorado River Basin states to reduce 3 million acre-feet in water consumption by 2026.
Why Romney, 7 other senators want to amend 49-year-old Colorado River salinity bill
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted July 27 - 6:17 a.m.
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and seven other U.S. senators are backing a bill that will help cover the costs of desalinizing the Colorado River's water.
Cox says 'divide' exists but he hopes California will join Colorado River agreement
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 17 - 6:18 a.m.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday that he's a "little more optimistic" that all of the Colorado River states can come to an agreement on a plan to reduce water use.
Upper Colorado River program to get large cut of 'historic' drought spending
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 15 - 10:58 a.m.
A program that aims to conserve Colorado River water in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming is getting a major cut of $728 million in new funds for drought and climate resilience projects.
Glen Canyon Dam power at risk due to shrinking Colorado River
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 26 - 7:04 p.m.
As Gus Levy traipses across the 710-foot-tall Glen Canyon Dam, there's a bounce in his step as he details the complicated workings of this structure built in 1960.
How will lower Colorado River flows impact Utah business, way of life?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Oct. 5 - 6:22 a.m.
Utah's growth is aided by the Colorado River. What happens when it's not producing water?
Water conservationists urge a 'one river' mindset over Colorado River water deficit
Ashley Fredde, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 13 - 6:41 p.m.
As Upper Basin states continue to overuse water rights to the Colorado River, the impacts could result in future cuts to its current water users.
First water cuts in US West supply from Colorado River to hammer Arizona farmers
Felicia Fonseca, Associated Press | Posted Aug. 12 - 6:23 p.m.
Climate change, drought and high demand are expected to force the first-ever mandatory cuts to a water supply that 40 million people across the American West depend on — the Colorado River. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's projection next week will spare cities and tribes but hit Arizona farmers hard.
