Latest Stories
A look at Utah's biggest environment and land bills in 2026
Eva Terry, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 28 - 1:03 p.m.
Though saving the Great Salt Lake has dominated public discourse this year during Utah's Legislature, it is not the only thing the state's governing body is trying to do.
Temporary ramp seeks to keep popular Utah recreation area as Lake Powell drops
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Feb. 23 - 4:30 p.m.
Utah outdoor recreation officials have struck a deal for a temporary solution to maintain access to a popular Lake Powell area struggling with low water levels.
Utah eyes emergency Lake Powell options after Colorado River states miss another deadline
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Feb. 13 - 5:48 p.m.
Utah and six other Colorado River Basin states have yet to secure a concession plan for Lake Powell or Lake Mead, missing yet another key deadline in securing a new plan.
Why the water outlook for Lake Powell and Utah just got worse
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Feb. 6 - 7:11 p.m.
Inflows into Lake Powell were already bleak, and January didn't provide any favors.
What's at stake as Utah, 6 other states seek new Colorado River deal
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Jan. 30 - 7:13 p.m.
Gov. Spencer Cox said he remains hopeful that Utah and other Colorado River states can reach an agreement on how to share the river. Failing to do so would be troublesome, officials said.
Can Interior Secretary Doug Burgum make the Colorado River states finally agree?
Eva Terry, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 30 - 1:28 p.m.
For the last two years, Colorado River states have been locked in a bitter stalemate over their future river allocations. But their countless hours of negotiating will need to reach a binding agreement on long-term water allocation by Feb. 14.
Utah, 6 other states hopeful to secure new Colorado River deal after missing key deadline
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Nov. 12 - 12:51 p.m.
Utah and the six other Colorado River states reached a tentative agreement to continue working together on a plan to share river water from the river after missing a federal deadline.
Is drying up the Colorado River going to dry up Utah?
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 10 - 6:25 a.m.
The seven states that make up the Colorado River basin are facing a Tuesday decision with the federal government on a commitment to draw down on water use on a river in crisis.
Deadline closing in for Utah and 6 other states hammering out a new water plan
Annie Knox, Utah News Dispatch | Posted Nov. 9 - 12:08 p.m.
Utah and six other states along the Colorado River are pushing up against a deadline to figure out as a group how to manage the river and its reservoirs.
Here is one idea how to help save the Colorado River
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 2 - 9:00 p.m.
The Colorado River is struggling and faces a shortfall that will forever shape the West. An easy enemy to blame is agriculture, but there are other unseen culprits, an expert says.
Coalition warns Colorado River could drop to critical lows, calls for 9 urgent reforms
Andrew Christensen and Brooke Larsen, The Times-Independent | Posted Oct. 14 - 1:57 p.m.
The Colorado River could reach dangerously low levels as soon as next year under dry conditions, and environmental groups say leaders aren't acting quickly enough to address the crisis.
Low Colorado River flows create ripple effects on Utah's recreation industry
Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News | Posted Sept. 13 - 7:41 a.m.
In southern Utah, businesses along the Colorado River and the Virgin River say low flows are reshaping seasons, straining logistics and forcing a reevaluation of century-old water policies.
Another Lake Powell ramp to become inoperable as reservoir levels drop
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Aug. 15 - 8:50 a.m.
A major boat ramp at Lake Powell will become inoperable next week, while crews also plan to move a boat dock at Rainbow Bridge National Monument.
One Utah man's quest to track the bugs fighting invasive trees on the Colorado River
David Condos, KUER | Posted Aug. 5 - 4:30 p.m.
Tamarask beetles may be tiny, but when they swarm to feed, they pack a punch. They repeatedly consume the tamarisks' leaves and bark until the green trees gradually turn brown and die.
Dust continues to impact Colorado River's water flow, Utah study finds
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted April 28 - 3:04 p.m.
The Colorado River is a vital water source for a large chunk of the West, but dust continues to impact its reliability, a recent Utah-led study finds.
Gov. Cox considers drought order for parts of Utah; Lake Powell faces below-normal runoff
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted April 18 - 6:17 a.m.
Gov. Spencer Cox says his office is working on a drought-related emergency declaration for parts of the state amid poor spring runoff outlooks.
Utah's big water efficiency push may help farms more than the Colorado River
Shelby Lofton, KSL | Posted Feb. 9 - 12:07 p.m.
Making sprinklers more water-efficient may help farms produce more crops but that doesn't mean it would save more water for the Colorado River.
Securing water from out of state will be a 'Herculean' effort, Utah's water agent says
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Jan. 27 - 2:08 p.m.
Utah's water agent told lawmakers that efforts to secure water deals outside of the state are underway, but he warns it will be easier said than done.
Feds directed $122.8M in drought spending across Utah. Will it be held up by freeze?
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Jan. 23 - 9:02 p.m.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation directed about $122.8 million toward drought mitigation and resiliency projects in and around Utah.
The Colorado River is in a custody battle with 7 states
Emma Pitts, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 6 - 2:04 p.m.
The Colorado River is managed like a joint bank account — seven states have equal shares of two basins, and not a single drop of water is overlooked.
Lawmakers vow they are not done in quest to save water
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 20 - 7:04 p.m.
Saving Utah's lakes, especially the Great Salt Lake, may come down to how to get even a small slice of an ever-shrinking pie.
Melons and the Green River: Giving life to a rural Utah town
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 8 - 8:05 a.m.
The town of Green River, Emery County, — population of about 800 people — is more than just a place along the I-70 corridor that boasts famous watermelons and some of the most scenic nearby landscapes in Utah.
Researchers look to expand restoration efforts within Green River tributaries
Erin Lewis, Utah Public Radio | Posted Sept. 21 - 10:09 a.m.
Utah researchers are working to restore Green River tributaries with a host of strategies including reintroducing beavers and removing invasive plants.
Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will lose same amount of Colorado River water next year as in 2024
Suman Naishadham, Associated Press | Posted Aug. 20 - 9:12 a.m.
Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will continue to live with less water next year from the Colorado River after the U.S. government Thursday announced water cuts preserving the status quo.
