Stephanie Maltarich

A few weeks ago, residents of a mobile home park in Gunnison were without water for most of the day; the three wells that supply water are often unreliable. While some in the valley struggle with reliable water, a few Gunnison residents worked on a new state initiative to address equity in water issues in Colorado.

Prior appropriation is the water law in the West that determines how water is divided among users. Most of the water in the Colorado River Basin is used for agriculture. Increasingly, Colorado is designating junior waterrights to streams themselves as rivers and drought continues to shrink water supplies.

The body of water provides recreation such as boating and fishing; powers thousands of homes through hydroelectricity; and stores water for Lake Powell and other downstream users. The reservoir is critically low, and it’s possible that water levels may be lowered even further this year.

Following a legacy of mining, local organizations keep tabs on water quality. Maintaining healthy waters in Crested Butte is critical as a headwaters source of the Colorado River.

Over 150 scientists will research snow and water for two years near Crested Butte, Colorado. The project tracking weather patterns from ‘atmosphere to bedrock’ is the first of its kind.

Dozens of people have died in avalanches in the U.S. this year. One Colorado town is trying to equip backcountry skiers with safety and decision-making tools to help them stay alive.