In years past there have been schemes to divert water out of the Yampa River, the last major undammed tributary in the Colorado River system, for use on Colorado's Front Range. None has ever been approved. Now, however, a Colorado man is seeking approval to divert 55,000 acre-feet of water a year from the Green River just upstream of Dinosaur National Monument to the Front Range.

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act turns 50 this fall, and despite its longevity, there's a fractional amount of river miles in the United States that are protected by that legislation.

Rising temperatures are amplifying the effects of recent drought on the Colorado River, which plays a key role in the health of national parks such as Canyonlands and Grand Canyon, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report.

Trying to understand how Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke views himself as a conservationist cut from the mold of Theodore Roosevelt is an ongoing challenge. While he wants to bolster the ranks of hunters and anglers, the secretary also wants to shrink some national monuments, allow target shooting on as many public lands as possible, and allow hunters to chum for bears with donuts and greasy loaves of bread.