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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · 1d

#Drought conditions improved during September in Colorado and Wyoming, while all of Utah continues to remain in at least moderate (D1) drought. By Sept 30, regional drought coverage was 61%, a 6% improvement since the end of August.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in... @cires.colorado.edu

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · 28d

@cires.colorado.edu @colorado.edu

Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · 28d

“Whenever an organization like WWA brings communities into this discussion, you can see a lot of cascading benefits from that,” says sustainability consultant Gwen Garcelon, speaking about the #drought resilience workshop that WWA held in Carbondale in 2018.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/impacts

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Sep 9

Streamflow conditions were slightly better in Wyoming, but record-low monthly streamflow was also recorded along the Gardiner, Upper Green, and Wind Rivers.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in... @cires.colorado.edu #drought #colorado #utah #wyoming

Intermountain West Dashboard | Western Water Assessment

Western Water Assessment needs your help improving the Intermountain West Dashboard! Please share your input in this short, anonymous survey which should take less than 5 minutes to complete.Take our ...

wwa.colorado.edu

Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Sep 9

Monthly #streamflow conditions were below to much below normal across large parts of the region during August. Most river basins in Colorado and Utah experienced these conditions, with record-low monthly streamflow observed in the Piedra River and at four streamflow gauges on the White River.

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Sep 8

Regional #drought conditions expanded and worsened, especially near the Colorado-Utah border and western Wyoming, where extreme (D3) drought conditions now cover 23% of the region.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in... @cires.colorado.edu

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Aug 26

Are you an undergrad student @colorado.edu interested in water? Apply by 9/8 for the Colorado Water Fellows Program, hosted by WWA! The program prepares students for careers in the water field and connects them to opportunities, including conferences.

Apply here: forms.gle/4DdZdFkufmon...

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Aug 25

In 2018, WWA worked closely with community members and leaders in Carbondale, Colorado to plan a workshop that helped local leaders assess risks from drought and develop strategies to build resilience to drought impacts in their community.

Learn more: youtu.be/4o4Z-DGvuoE?...

@cires.colorado.edu

Western Water Assessment's impact in Carbondale, Colorado

YouTube video by CIRESvideos

youtu.be

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Aug 12

In July, regional precipitation was generally below normal, with record-dry conditions throughout much of the region. As of August 1, Colorado reservoirs are 63% full, Utah reservoirs are 75% full, and Wyoming reservoirs are 72% full.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in... @cires.colorado.edu

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Jul 30

@cires.colorado.edu @colorado.edu

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Jul 30

WWA's Nels Bjarke spoke with Rocky Mountain Community Radio about current drought conditions and said hotter temperatures "can lead to further drying of the soils ... [and] have the potential to allow the drought to at least stick around, and potentially amplify it."

Learn more ⬇️

Drought conditions have primed Western Colorado for a busy wildfire season, hurting air quality and economy

Hot, dry weather and abundant fuels created the perfect storm for lightning-caused fires on the Western Slope and in southeastern Utah. Drought forecasters are predicting little relief later this summ...

www.aspenpublicradio.org

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Jul 14

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in...
@cires.colorado.edu @colorado.edu #wx #weather

Intermountain West Dashboard | Western Water Assessment

Western Water Assessment needs your help improving the Intermountain West Dashboard! Please share your input in this short, anonymous survey which should take less than 5 minutes to complete.Take our ...

wwa.colorado.edu

Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Jul 14

During June, much of the region experienced above average temperatures and below average precipitation. As of July 1, seasonal snowmelt was completed with many mountain locations melting out 1-2 weeks earlier than average. Seasonal streamflow volume forecasts remained below to much below normal.

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · Jul 2

ICYMI: Years after wildfires burn forests and watersheds, the contaminants left behind continue to poison rivers and streams across the Western U.S. — much longer than scientists estimated. Work led by CIRES, @wwanews.bsky.social‬, and @colorado.edu scientists.

Read the story: buff.ly/Uy6QkNd

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Jul 3

Our team ☺️

wwa.colorado.edu/about/team

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · Jun 27

New research, led by CIRES, @wwanews.bsky.social, and @colorado.edu, featured in Grist! ⬇️

Grist @grist.org · Jun 27

Pollution from wildfires can contaminate our water for up to 8 years, study finds.

An analysis of 500 watersheds found levels of organic carbon, phosphorus, and other pollutants up to 103 times higher after a wildfire.

grist.org/wildfires/po...

#Wildfire #Pollution #Environment #Climate #Policy

Pollution from wildfires can contaminate our water for up to 8 years, study finds

An analysis of 500 watersheds found levels of organic carbon, phosphorus, and other pollutants up to 103 times higher after a wildfire.

grist.org

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · Jun 23

New CIRES-led research: Years after wildfires burn forests and watersheds, the contaminants left behind continue to poison rivers and streams across the Western U.S. — much longer than scientists estimated. @wwanews.bsky.social‬ @colorado.edu

Read the story: cires.colorado.edu/news/wildfir...

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Jun 20

As of June 1, statewide percent median SWE was 54% in Colorado, 29% in Utah, and 62% in Wyoming. Seasonal streamflow volume forecasts are all below to much below average for the region. Regional drought coverage in late May was 53%.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in...

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · May 27

"Looking at things like how drought is changing, it's getting bigger, it's getting drier, it's coming on more quickly, trying to understand how we can better predict that..." said Benét Duncan, managing director of @wwanews.bsky.social‬ at CIRES.
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

How NOAA funding cuts could make it harder to predict and prepare for severe weather

For many people, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. But along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, it also means the start of hurricane season is nearly here. This particular hurricane…

www.pbs.org

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · May 16

In April, regional precipitation was below to much below normal with some areas experiencing record-dry conditions. As of May 1, statewide percent median SWE was 58% in Colorado, 66% in Utah, and 86% in Wyoming.

Learn more: wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in...

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · May 15

The 2025 edition of CIRES' Spheres Magazine is out!

In 2024 and 2025, CIRES scientists and their colleagues worked on Western US fires, greenhouse gases, seasonal allergies, the Colorado River, ice sheets, field safety, and more.

Explore now ➡️ cires.colorado.edu/spheres-maga...

The cover of the 2025 edition of CIRES' Spheres Magazine. Image shows a scientists working on an instrument.

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · May 1

End of April #snow water equivalent (SWE) is below to much below normal for the majority of the region (CO, UT, WY), with less than 50% of median conditions in southern Colorado, southern and western Utah, and northeastern Wyoming.

wwa.colorado.edu/resources/in...

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Western Water Assessment @wwanews.bsky.social · Apr 24

WWA's Katie Clifford spent time last week with CLIMAS collaborators Christina Greene and Becky Patterson-Markowitz to kick off their project examining the long-term wildfire recovery challenges in rural communities in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.

wwa.colorado.edu/research/pro...

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · Apr 22

Happy #EarthDay! CIRES scientists study a wide range of Earth system science topics, including weather and climate, changes at Earth’s poles, atmospheric chemistry, water resources, and solid Earth sciences. Learn more about our research: cires.colorado.edu/research

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Reposted by Western Water Assessment

CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · Apr 16

On May 10, join @ciresceee.bsky.social's We are Water program for the NSF STEM Day Community Celebration in Durango, CO! wearewater.colorado.edu/events

Exhibit opening day celebration
🕙: 10 am - 3 pm
📍: The Powerhouse

Film festival and Q&A
🕕: 6 - 8 pm
📍: Fort Lewis College, Noble Hall Rm 130

We are Water NSF STEM Day Community Celebration flyer. Exhibit opening day and community celebration at the Powerhouse from 10 am - 3 pm. Film festival and panel QA at Fort Lewis College from 6 - 8 pm.

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