Colorado River Basin | Western Water

Colorado River gets boost with Orchard Mesa upgrades

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded nearly $12M to upgrade Orchard Mesa irrigation systems, conserving water and cutting salinity in the Colorado River.

Wastewater plants cut resistance genes, but risks remain

Study shows wastewater plants remove most antibiotic resistance genes, but high-risk genes in effluent remain a concern for water reuse safety.

Desert rains deliver drought relief to Southwest states

Unseasonal rains improved drought in Arizona and parts of Colorado and Wyoming, while Utah saw setbacks, per the June 5 U.S. Drought Monitor.

Post-2026 Guidelines: Tribe awarded $1.1M to assess irrigation

The Colorado River Indian Tribes received $1.1M to assess an irrigation project as states race to finalize post-2026 water management agreements.

Reclamation announces $50M boost for Upper Basin states

Interior Department and basin states deploy $50M in advanced monitoring tools to strengthen water sustainability in the Colorado River Basin post-2026.

Rocky relief or rocky road? May drought report has mixed signals

Drought conditions worsened in Utah and western Colorado, while Arizona remains parched. California and Nevada stayed mostly stable in late May 2025.

About This Site

Western-Water is for laypeople who are interested in general water news and their water rights. Managed by a water paralegal with over 30 years' experience in Arizona water issues, you'll find calculators, tips and general information geared for water users in the Colorado River states. Do not rely on this site for legal advice. The picture was taken while hiking at Aravaipa Canyon, a must see!

Disclaimer; Comments

This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. We also provide ads from Google and other sources and may make a commission from those ads, at no cost to you.

A NOTE ABOUT COMMENTS: We love comments but so do spammers. To avoid having to spend hours clearing out a ton of spam, your first comment is moderated and might not show up right away. After your first comment has been approved, your comments will post automatically.

John Koller on New Mexico Governor declares drought emergency: “Give tax credits and tax ince, cost sharing for xeriscaping and tearing out lawns and sprinklers and for tearing out…” Jun 4, 13:05
Laura on Interior Department opens door to cut red tape: “I’d love to see more of the federal agencies seek opinions, ideas and full input from the public. I believe…” May 25, 15:50
Deborah on Lake Mead water levels to drop further: “That’s very true, FreeRanbow. Coupled with ongoing drought and wildfire risk, I think we have a challenging summer ahead.” May 22, 19:33