Environment

Trump admin finalizes a short-term Colorado River plan. Here’s what it means for Lake Powell.

Brooke Larsen — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:04:31 +0000

The Trump administration won’t force Utah and other Upper Basin states to cut their Colorado River water use over the next two years, but Lower Basin states like California will collectively slash their consumption by over 1 million acre-feet per year.

Lake Powell’s falling water levels could sink Utah’s ferry service for good

Leia Larsen — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:01 +0000

Note to readers • This story is made possible through a partnership between The Salt Lake Tribune and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.

Park City Mountain announces opening date for 2026-27 ski season

Julie Jag — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 19:53:26 +0000

A Utah ski area on Tuesday announced its target opening date for the 2026-27 ski season. The forecasted super El Nino is giving its operators optimism.

The Babylon Fire left flood and erosion risks that could last for years. Here’s how forest managers can reduce those risks.

Andrew Christiansen — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Babylon Fire left parts of the burned landscape more vulnerable to flooding, erosion and debris flows, with increased runoff and erosion likely to recur intermittently for five to 10 years as the landscape recovers.

Utah is exploring an unusual fix for wildfire, flood and drought impacts

Julie Jag — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Park City • On a warm day in June — as one of the worst wildfire seasons in Utah’s history was looming but the smoke hadn’t yet sullied the air — a group of federal, state and conservation leaders stood in the tall grass along the banks of McLeod Creek below the McPolin Barn.

This Utah campsite has no water, power or shade. It was just named the best in the U.S.

Julie Jag — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:01 +0000

It has no water, no electricity, no shade — really no amenities of any kind. In the summer, high temperatures average close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, they plummet into the 20s.

Federal job cuts are making wildfires harder to fight

Scott Dance | The New York Times — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:01 +0000

Washington • At the start of what is becoming an intense wildfire season this year, federal officials warned of a 15% decrease in available “hotshot” teams, the elite squads that fight complex blazes in the most rugged areas.