Severe drought and record-high temperatures have put Western U.S. water issues in spotlight,especially in Colorado. Blue Mesa Reservoir,critical water source,hit alarmingly low levels this summer. Ongoing climate troubles hurting agriculture and recreation .
Caroline Llanes,now a rural climate reporter for Rocky Mountain Community Radio,moved from covering Michigan water crises,like Flint,to Colorado River's drought. "Water issues take on very different tone and tenor out West," she said,noting unique challenges in this dry landscape .
The Water Desk at University of Colorado Boulder,part of Center for Environmental Journalism,gives journalists tools and knowledge for covering urgent water issues. Co-directors Luke Runyon and Mitch Tobin guide topics from snowpack tracking to water law .
Runyon said poor winter and hot spring made for tough summer. "This was gearing up to be really epic year because of policy negotiations coming to head," he noted,drought adding to challenges for reporters on water crises.
Wildfires scorched over 200,000 acres in Colorado this season,so reporting on water has never been more critical. Water Desk organized webinars to prep journalists for stories during this crucial time. Runyon even went electrofishing with Fish and Wildlife to check ecosystem health as water falls.
In April,Runyon's images of low Colorado River levels on social media caught National Geographic editor's eye. This led to a feature on stakeholders hit by dwindling water,showing how Water Desk's network aids impactful journalism.
Community engagement is key for Water Desk . Runyon stressed building audience trust,saying,"It’s so important to build more trust with your audience—to listen to community concerns and produce journalism that responds." He and Tobin often join public talks to demystify water issues.
Water Desk aims to simplify complex topics. Llanes used its data to report on ski resorts adapting to climate change by boosting snow production. She appreciated Water Desk resources,noting,"Even if data don’t specifically make it into story,those sources really help ground piece you’re working on."
Beyond supporting established journalists,Water Desk nurtures next-gen reporters with internships. Recent grad Annie MacKeigan spoke of working with Runyon and Tobin,shaping her climate reporting understanding and water issue focus .
Hong Vu,associate professor of journalism and faculty director for Center for Environmental Journalism,praised Water Desk . He said water issues are complex and often polarizing,and desk's work bridges gap between expert knowledge and public understanding. "What Luke and Water Desk do to explain challenges facing Colorado River and West helps people make sense of complexity," Vu said.
As climate reporting demand grows,Runyon sees more job security for journalists on water issues. He reflected on field's evolution,saying,"When I first started covering water,you almost had to make case for why you had somebody on the beat,because it wasn’t as pressing to people. Now,that has changed completely." How will journalism continue to shape public understanding of these ongoing challenges…
