A tough winter and rising summer heat keep drought locked across the Colorado River Basin, with only scattered relief in New Mexico and parts of Utah.

The Colorado River system sits at just 34% capacity. Seven states have missed every deadline. The federal government now has until October to act.

Experts warn Lake Powell and Lake Mead are nearly out of usable water, and another dry year could crash the entire Colorado River storage system.

A new federal contract pushes a landmark Navajo water pipeline closer to completion, where one in three residents still haul their own drinking water home.

New Mexico is developing a state-run surface water pollution permitting program after federal protections for many streams and wetlands were reduced by a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.

Warm ocean water off Baja California could fuel a stronger Arizona monsoon season in 2026, raising cautious hopes for a drought-stressed Southwest.