The public lands around the North Fork Valley include the West Elk, Maroon Bells, and Ragged Wildernesses, Thompson Divide and the Grand Mesa. The Curecanti National Recreation Area, Black Canyon National Park and the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area are here too, marking the eastern edge of the Colorado Plateau.

These public lands and the natural functions they provide safeguard our drinking water supplies and irrigate our farms, they provide important habitat values and strengthen resilience to, and help mitigate impacts from, climate change.

Two years after the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance (COFFA) sounded the alarm with its "Gunnison Basin: Ground Zero in the Climate Emergency" report, the urgency for climate action has only intensified. 

But it's not only bad news. Across the Gunnison Basin, as in many rural places across the southwest, innovative solutions are taking root, offering a roadmap for other communities facing similar challenges.

The water year, spanning from October 2023 to September 2024, plays a crucial role in understanding Western Colorado's water dynamics. This article delves into the observations from this water year and what they mean for the future of water in Western Colorado.

An update on climate change indicators documented throughout 2023, along with some new information on policy and local projects that highlight climate solutions.