water issues

A coalition of groups focused on water rights filed a brief in June with the U.S. Supreme Court to keep the court from narrowing the definition of federally protected waters. 

Water conservation groups are speaking out against a plan from the states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah to divert less water from the Colorado River.

Arkansas River Basin conditions for July 19, 2022.

After a high profile, decades-long battle to build a desalination plant in Huntington Beach ended in denial, all eyes will be on the California Coastal Commission as it considers whether to approve two smaller desalination projects this fall.

Members of Utah's Congressional delegation are asking for $10 million to establish a new program that would monitor the Great Salt Lake region as water levels continue to be at historic lows.

The summer monsoon weather pattern continued during the past week, bringing slight improvement to drought conditions across the Arkansas Basin. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, 1.52 percent of Colorado is no longer experiencing drought, including a small area in southern Chaffee County.

"A resilient heat dome that has brought hot weather to the southern Plains this week will spread into the Southwest and park itself there, likely through much of next week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton.

A tug-of-war between conservationists and developers over water continues in the state as the Great Salt Lake continues to drop to record low levels.

Twelve attorneys general filed an opening brief Friday in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for changes made this year to energy and water efficiency standards for dishwashers and washing machines.

Weekly Arkansas River data courtesy of the Arkansas River Water Collaborative.