Sunday, July 12, 2026 — Across the American West, the pressure on water continues to build. In this video summarizing what we reported over the last week, we look at rapidly falling Colorado River reservoirs, historic wildfires threatening watersheds and critical infrastructure, Arizona’s search for new water supplies, California’s battle against invasive golden mussels, major investments in fish restoration, the controversial Pinyon Plain uranium mine decision near the Grand Canyon, and the latest federal developments involving so-called “forever chemicals.”
We also take a look at the latest drought conditions across the seven Colorado River Basin states and explain why these stories matter—not just to the West, but to millions of Americans who depend on these rivers, reservoirs, and water systems every day.
