The seven basin states of the Colorado River are being hammered with drought and diminished snowpack that will create the lowest levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead in 45 years.

Sustainable Conservation, in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Incentives, Protected Harvest and the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, has been awarded a $372,000 Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a pilot program to measure environmental benefits in California’s Mokelumne River Watershed.

Thousands of miles of New Mexico rivers and streams would gain special protection under the federal Clean Water Act as part of a proposal being pushed by Gov. Bill Richardson and environmentalists. But ranchers worry the plan is a backdoor effort to stop grazing on public land.

A joint report from the University of Texas and an environmental group urges state planners to conserve both water and energy. The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs, allowing Texas to utilize "finite supplies of both" and cut consumers' costs.

A joint report from the University of Texas and an environmental group urges state planners to conserve both water and energy. The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs, allowing Texas to utilize "finite supplies of both" and cut consumers' costs.

A joint report from the University of Texas and an environmental group urges state planners to conserve both water and energy. The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs, allowing Texas to utilize "finite supplies of both" and cut consumers' costs.

A joint report from the University of Texas and an environmental group urges state planners to conserve both water and energy. The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs, allowing Texas to utilize "finite supplies of both" and cut consumers' costs.

A joint report from the University of Texas and an environmental group urges state planners to conserve both water and energy. The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs, allowing Texas to utilize "finite supplies of both" and cut consumers' costs.

A joint report from the University of Texas and an environmental group urges state planners to conserve both water and energy. The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs, allowing Texas to utilize "finite supplies of both" and cut consumers' costs.