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Water in the West

KDNK Community Radio and Aspen Public Radio teamed up to bring listeners this in-depth series looking at the threats to the region's water. Reporters from the two stations examined how population growth, climate change, the loss of agricultural land, developments and the energy industry all put strains on Colorado's limited resource. The demands on water that impact states like Arizona and California are moving upstream and are just decades away in Colorado.

The series is underwritten by the Colorado River District. This series is also brought to you by the Aspen Thrift Shop in collaboration with the Manaus Fund.

Reported by:

Bente Birkeland, Mathew Katz, Marci Krivonen, Mitzi Rapkin, Steve Skinner, Kristina Tabor and Conrad Wilson.

Edited by:

Alisa Barba, Co-Editor of Indie Edit

We found 26 matches for this topic...11 to 20 are displayed below.

Crystal River Endangered says National Enviros

Crystal River Endangered says National Enviros The Crystal River was named one of the most endangered rivers in America this week. KDNK's Amy Hadden Marsh brings this report.
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New Reports Compile Hundreds of Recommendations for Roaring Fork Watershed

New Reports Compile Hundreds of Recommendations for Roaring Fork Watershed The Roaring Fork Watershed Collaborative--which includes representatives from municipalities, local non-profit the Roaring Fork Conservancy and others--released 2 new reports Thursday afternoon. As KDNK's Eric Skalac reports, the group has compiled more than 200 recommended actions for protecting the Roaring Fork watershed.
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Is drinking water a potential use for produced water?

One byproduct that operators drilling for oil and gas have to deal with is something called produced water. It comes in many varieties, and it's currently treated for reuse in drilling operations. But some are hoping to find a way to treat it and reuse it for agriculture and maybe even for drinking water. As KDNK's Eric Skalac reports, Garfield County is working towards making that a reality.

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Ski areas battle Forest Service for water rights

A water war of national proportions began this week when the National Ski Area Association filed suit against the U.S. Forest Service. At the heart of the battle are water rights. KDNK's Amy Hadden Marsh has this report.
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A tour of the Crystal River with the Roaring Fork Conservancy

A tour of the Crystal River with the Roaring Fork Conservancy Students from the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment take us on a tour of the Crystal River with Sharon Clark of the Roaring Fork Conservancy and Mark Lacey of the US Forest Service.
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Front Range draining much of Western Slope's excess water

Most of the state's population lives along the Front Range. But 80 percent of the water falls on the Western Slope. That means a lot of the water is diverted under the Continental Divide.

This year's high water in Colorado provided ecological benefits to the state's rivers, but some ran nearly dry because of diversions to the Front Range.

Brent Gardner-Smith of Aspen Journalism has more

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News: Water in the West - Part 9: Why We Love Water

There's certainly an emotional connection to water, especially moving rivers. As Part 9 of our Water in the West series, KDNK's Steve Skinner looks at why we love water and the art it has inspired.
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News: Water in the West - Part 8: The Complex World of Water Rights

Ask around and you'll find out that water rights can bring up passionate, and even angry stories. But folks who don't have to deal with them may be confused by what they actually are. Today our series, Water in the West, continues as KDNK's Mathew Katz has this explanation of one of Colorado's most complicated laws.
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News: Water in the West - Part 7: Plans for Oil Shale Diverted ... for Now

Extracting oil from oil shale takes a lot of water. And to complicate the matter, most of the oil shale in the US is in places where there's not a lot of available water - like right here in Western Colorado.

As part of our collaborative series, Water in the West, KDNK's Conrad Wilson looks at how water scarcity may be impacting the push for oil shale.

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News: Water in the West - Part 6: Water Planners Look to the Future

For the first time in state history one of the most powerful water organizations in Colorado is proposing a statewide plan to address water needs. Some of the recommendations include water efficiency standards and aggressive conservation measures. Experts say the cost of inaction is dire, but many of the changes require legislation that may not be popular politically. As part of our collaborative series Water in the West, KDNK's Bente Birkeland explores the next steps for state-wide water planning.
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