The Colorado River is in crisis. A record drought and new federal rules mean significant water cuts for states in the Lower Basin. But what could those changes mean for the Upper Basin states, including Colorado?
On Thursday, September 17, 2026, Rocky Mountain Community Radio hosted a special statewide call-in show exploring the future of the Colorado River.
Our guests were Shannon Mullane, who reports on the Colorado River and water issues for The Colorado Sun, Jim Lochhead, former CEO of Denver Water, who served for 20 years as the governor’s representative on interstate Colorado River operations and as Colorado’s commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission, and Allie Mazurek, the engagement climatologist with Colorado Climate Center.
The show will be co-hosted by Rocky Mountain Community Radio rural climate reporter Caroline Llanes and Luke Runyon of the Water Desk.
This show was broadcast live on Aspen Public Radio, KDNK, KBUT, KSUT, KVNF, KGNU and KHEN.
Copyright 2026 Rocky Mountain Community Radio.
Rocky Mountain Community Radio is a network of public media stations in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, including Aspen Public Radio.