Aspen Journalism: Colorado has big dreams of storing millions of acre-feet of water — but will planned reservoirs ever be built?

Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will planned reservoirs ever be built?

Nearly two hours east of Grand Junction on a remote dirt road on the Grand Mesa is a nondescript, shallow, sage-brush-covered valley where two creeks meet.

Aspen Journalism: Colorado has big dreams of storing millions of acre-feet of water — but will planned reservoirs ever be built?

Nearly two hours east of Grand Junction on a remote dirt road on the Grand Mesa is a nondescript, shallow, sage-brush-covered valley where two creeks meet.  The site, at 8,200 feet in elevation, is home to a wooden corral where ranchers with grazing permits gather their livestock and to the Owens Creek Trailhead where hikers set out for nearby Porter Mountain.  It’s also the spot where the largest domestic water provider on Colorado’s Western Sl…

#Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the #ColoradoRiver. But will planned reservoirs ever be built? — Heather Sackett (@AspenJournalism) #COriver #aridification

Grand Mesa Colorado sunset. Click the link to read the article on the Aspen Journalism website (Heather Sackett): December 12, 2024 Cities, conservancy districts, energy companies own rights for 2.6 million acre-feet of additional water storage on the Western Slope. Nearly two hours east of Grand Junction on a remote dirt road on the Grand Mesa is a nondescript, shallow, sage-brush-covered valley where two creeks meet.  The site, at 8,200 feet …