Latest Stories
Gov. Cox considers drought order for parts of Utah; Lake Powell faces below-normal runoff
Carter Williams, KSL.com | 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-TV | 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.com | 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.com | 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.
Tailings near the Colorado River close to full removal
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Aug. 7 - 6:17 a.m.
Uranium tailings removal near the Colorado River may be completed by next year, but much work remains to be done afterward for full remediation of the area in which the uranium mill operated for nearly three decades.
The Colorado River: Strategies from lower and upper basin states to reduce water consumption
Emma Pitts, Deseret News | Posted July 9 - 8:33 p.m.
The issue of water — who gets it, how much they get and what happens when Mother Nature doesn't provide enough — is an ongoing conflict between states in the west.
Popular Lake Powell ferry service returns after low waters kept it docked for 3 years
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted July 3 - 2:56 p.m.
A popular ferry that significantly reduces the travel time between two major Lake Powell destination areas is set to make its long-awaited return.
Utah 'encouraged' by new Colorado River cuts; 'progress' made on long-term plan
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted May 15 - 7:01 p.m.
A Colorado River water reduction plan that Utah and six other states agreed to is now being implemented while the states hash out a long-term agreement.
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.
