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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Mitch Tobin @mitchtobin.bsky.social · 16h

🎉 Happy New Water Year! 💧 My latest post at snow.news explains why water wonks hit reset on October 1 and uses maps to show how water year 2026 played out. www.snow.news/p/welcome-to...

snow.news

Welcome to Water Year 2027

Why water wonks hit reset on October 1, and what the last year looked like in maps

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

WyoFile @wyofile.com · 01/09/2026

As drought and over-allocation of Colorado River water shock the West, two suits raise serious questions about irrigation in Wyoming and state plans to build a new dam and reservoir in Carbon County. #wyomingnews #coloradoriverplan #drought

wyofile.com

Colorado River drought lawsuits may dampen Wyoming dam plans - WyoFile

Two legal actions raise questions about Wyoming’s water supplies and plans to construct another dam in southern Wyoming.

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Larry Ryckman @larryryckman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I’m hearing a lot of optimism about the El Niño from people considering ski passes. Might be too soon to say … Despite growing super El Niño, Colorado's winter forecast remains uncertain | The Colorado Sun coloradosun.com/2026/08/31/c... Sun App

coloradosun.com

Despite growing super El Niño, Colorado's winter forecast remains uncertain

Coloradans watching for weather impacts from warmer water in the Pacific Ocean might be in for a wait. The El Niño won’t peak for months.

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Ian James @ianjames.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

In the first salvo of what could become a long court battle, Nevada has sued the Trump administration over its plan to impose water cuts on Las Vegas. Republican Gov. Lombardo calls it "a matter of survival" for Las Vegas, which relies heavily on the Colorado River. www.latimes.com/environment/...

latimes.com

Nevada sues Trump administration over its Colorado River plan

The state of Nevada is suing to challenge the Trump administration's new plan for dealing with water shortages along the Colorado River.

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Mitch Tobin @mitchtobin.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I had a very interesting—and sobering—conversation with Adrienne Marshall (@hydro-adrienne.bsky.social), lead author of a new study on climate change and the West’s 2026 snow drought. Some scary projections if emissions keep climbing—but that’s not a fait accompli. waterdesk.org/2026/08/clim...

waterdesk.org

Climate change made the West’s snow drought far more likely—but it’s still not the new normal

Q&A with hydrologist Adrienne Marshall on why this past winter’s snowpack fell so low, how global warming increased the odds and what the future may hold

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The Colorado River's 15-Mile Reach is back down to record low flows -- 57 cfs this afternoon, an all-time low for this day in the period of record for this USGS gage.

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WyoFile @wyofile.com · 31/07/2026

Photo Friday: Fishing is productive this summer, including at Pathfinder Reservoir, one angler says. But it comes at the cost of historically dry and hot conditions that portend threats to fisheries. wyofile.com/fishing-is-o... #fishing #watercrisis #wyomingnews #wyomingfishing

wyofile.com

Central Wyoming anglers, boaters and recreationists got the low water blues - WyoFile

Fishing “is on fire” at Pathfinder Reservoir, one angler reports. But that's partly due to the reservoir shrinking to just 18.7% capacity.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

My take: Feds had a real opportunity to change how the river is managed. Instead they chose to let the states lead, which have proven time again to not be willing to make the permanent, drastic cuts to actually live within the means of a shrinking river. www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

washingtonpost.com

A new Colorado River plan requires water cuts for three states. Deeper cuts are still possible.

Arizona, California and Nevada will be required to curb their use of the water from the river by about 20 percent over the next two years, according to three officials.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Water bottling company bucks Aurora, Colo.'s drought restrictions:

9news.com

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Mitch Tobin @mitchtobin.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

The effects of last winter’s historic snow drought were easy to see—and feel—during my recent summer road trip through Colorado: smoky skies, depleted reservoirs, and virtually no snow left on a 14er. New photo essay: www.snow.news/p/photo-essa...

snow.news

Photo essay: The summer legacy of a low-snow winter

A Colorado road trip amid smoky skies, shrinking reservoirs, and the last remnants of the snowpack

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

When Colorado River experts descended on CU-Boulder in June, one high-profile negotiator pointed an accusatory finger at its quads: “There is a metric shit ton of turf grass on this campus.” How Western universities maintain their "oasis-like" feel amid epic drought: waterdesk.org/2026/07/how-...

waterdesk.org

How universities in the West justify staying green during drought

In early June, water experts gathered at the University of Colorado Boulder to talk about the future of the Colorado River. The lifeline for 40 million people in the Southwest is in dire shape. Too m...

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

NOAA once again highlighting a rare, highest-end "extremely critical risk" region today around Four Corners/CO Western Slope for exceptionally adverse fire weather conditions amid severe drought. Numerous lightning holdovers are popping up during unusual summer wind event.

Map from NOAA SPC highlighting today's fire risk outlook in the Western United States. A huge region of elevated to critical risk is painted across most of the interior West, with a smaller bullseye of "extremely critical risk" near the Four Corners and Colorado West slope.

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Jonathan Overpeck @greatlakespecktwo.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Grim hot megadrought situation out West: “Reservoirs Mead & Powell, the nation’s 2 largest, are approaching levels that would have seemed unimaginable just a generation ago. Now, there is not enough water flowing to meet the needs of the 7 U.S. and 2 Mexican states” apple.news/ALP69m6uqSlC...

apple.news

A river crisis is unfolding in the American West — National Geographic

The Colorado has been struggling for decades. This summer could bring it to the brink, threatening endangered wildlife and communities.

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Daniel Rothberg @danielrothberg.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

"Springs collectively supply the baseflow that sustains river systems through dry seasons and droughts — the water that keeps a river running when the rains are gone." | The Forgotten Frontlines of Freshwater Conservation springstewardship.substack.com/p/the-forgot...

springstewardship.substack.com

The Forgotten Frontlines of Freshwater Conservation

Why Springs Are the Quiet Center of the Freshwater World

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

The Colorado River’s endangered fish have become a living proxy of its health. When they struggle, it often means the river itself is struggling. And in 2026, nearly every indicator is flashing red. www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...

nationalgeographic.com

A river crisis is unfolding in the American West

The Colorado has been struggling for decades. This summer could bring it to the brink, threatening endangered wildlife and communities.

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Ian James @ianjames.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

In the Rocky Mountains, spring-fed streams and ponds have vanished, leaving patches of cracked mud. This year has been so extremely warm and arid that the mountains have remained largely snowless. The source of the Colorado River is drying up. @rgauth999.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...

latimes.com

'This is terrifying': The Colorado River, a lifeline for seven states, is drying up at its source

The source of the Colorado River in the Rocky Mountains is drying up, threatening a critical water lifeline for about 35 million people and 5 million acres of farmland across the Southwest.

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Daniel Rothberg @danielrothberg.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

"We live and die by snowpack," says orchardist Bruce Talbott. "We didn't get any this year." @lukerunyon.bsky.social on the crisis facing the Colorado River through the lens of endangered fish recovery and shortages for farming communities. www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...

nationalgeographic.com

A river crisis is unfolding in the American West

The Colorado has been struggling for decades. This summer could bring it to the brink, threatening endangered wildlife and communities.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

The 15-Mile Reach in Colorado's Grand Valley, is a section of the Colorado River where agricultural use, municipal demand, and needs for recreation and wildlife converge. And this summer it could fully dry up.

nationalgeographic.com

A river crisis is unfolding in the American West

The Colorado has been struggling for decades. This summer could bring it to the brink, threatening endangered wildlife and communities.

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Colton Lochhead @coltonlochhead.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Just how bad is the Colorado River crisis hitting Utah? • The town of Emery will be out of water this week and will need to haul water in. • A small mountain reservoir that usually doesn’t start to release water until early July will be empty by June 29 — Monday. www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

sltrib.com

Utah officials warn of ‘totally unprecedented’ water shortages as towns run dry

Streams and wells are running low and dry across Utah while Lake Powell nears a record low. Meanwhile, states still can't agree on how to share the river.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Don’t get me wrong, I love the reflecting pool in DC. It’s iconic. But can we please get the same kind of journalistic rigor for the systems that treat and deliver water we drink and use to grow food?

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

The last time Lake Powell was this low in early June was in 1967. Lyndon Johnson was president. Glen Canyon Dam had been commissioned just the year before. We hadn't even been to the moon yet.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

“The purpose of the meeting really is to determine which political levers should be pulled." Key Republican senators from Utah and Wyoming are figuring out how to leverage their White House relationships to get favorable treatment on the Colorado River: www.eenews.net/articles/key...

eenews.net

Key Utah, Wyoming Republicans plot their next Colorado River move

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee plans to host a strategy meeting Tuesday with leaders from the two states.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Love to hear three of my favorite journalists and writers talk about the Colorado River and public lands on the national airwaves! the1a.org/segments/the...

the1a.org

The state of the nation's public lands

We start with our water.

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

KQED Forum @kqedforum.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

🎙️ON AIR We're talking to @nature.org's Celene Hawkins and environmental journalists @cvonka.bsky.social and @lukerunyon.bsky.social about the record-low water levels in the Colorado River basin and what this drought could mean for California. ❓What are your questions about the drought? 📻Listen:

kqed.org

What the Colorado River Drought Means for California | KQED

The Colorado River basin and its two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are facing record-low water levels. We talk with environment journalists about what this could mean here in…

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

This story paints an accurately grim picture of the water crisis out West this year. Also, I appreciate that more national outlets are using acre-feet in their coverage. Billions and trillions of gallons is pretty meaningless. Acre-feet with context is the way! www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/u...

nytimes.com

A Terrible Winter for Snow Heads Into a Bleak Summer of Drought

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

One thing you often hear on the Colorado River is that when push comes to shove and supplies are scarce the environment ends up being the biggest loser. Can't think of a better way to show that in practice than this Politico story: www.eenews.net/articles/tru...

eenews.net

Trump official says lawmakers open to waiving environmental rules along Colorado River

Interior's top Western water official said the region's senators expressed a bipartisan willingness to waive or streamline resource rules.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

New forecasts are in. Looks like we could be headed for a Wet Hot Colorado Plateau Summer.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

I went on @pbsnews.org's Horizons last week to talk about the latest news on the Colorado River, and try not to be a total bummer (which is really hard to do in this very warm, very dry year we're having): youtu.be/39-z063W1WY?...

youtu.be

As the Colorado River dries up, how Western states are confronting the water crisis

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Based on this official forecast, looks spring runoff into Lake Powell is nearly done. In mid-May.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

I'm having a hard time believing my eyes with water data this year. The Colorado River mainstem through Grand Junction was flowing at 54 cfs last night. Not a typo. 54 cfs. Last year on this date it was flowing at 1,420cfs. Even in 2002, the driest year on record, it was at 690cfs on April 22.

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Luke Runyon @lukerunyon.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

"For us to have a functioning, operating plan for 2026, decisions are going to have to be made this month." Tony Davis with the best coverage of Interior Sec. Burgum's recent Arizona visit where water scarcity cast a shadow over his planned focus on mineral abundance: tucson.com/news/local/e...

tucson.com

Interior secretary says 'nobody will be happy' with Colorado River decision

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, pressed in the Tucson area Monday to spell out how he’ll handle the Colorado River's water crisis, said “nobody will be happy."

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David Condos @davidcondos.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

"This is the worst scenario we could have." Utah's snowpack typically peaks this week. Instead, it's around 20% of normal. My latest for @kuer.org on how a poor winter and a March heat wave combined to create unprecedented conditions ⤵️ www.kuer.org/science-envi...

kuer.org

Utah’s snowpack usually peaks right about now. Instead, it’s mostly gone

The March heat wave decimated Utah’s already-poor snowpack. That’s bad news for a region that depends on snow for its water supply.

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Reposted by Luke Runyon

Mitch Tobin @mitchtobin.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

April 1 is a key milestone for the West’s snowpack. This year’s data paint a disturbing portrait of the historic snow drought. My latest at snow.news: www.snow.news/p/snowpack-a...

snow.news

No fooling: April 1 is a cruel joke for the West's snowpack

At the water year's midpoint, meager snow cover raises alarms for the months ahead

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