The Land Desk

The Land Desk

Share this post

The Land Desk
The Land Desk
As the Colorado River shrinks, desert towns grow

As the Colorado River shrinks, desert towns grow

Kanab gets a bunch of new development, Imperial Irrigation District scoffs at farmland solar

Jonathan P. Thompson's avatar
Jonathan P. Thompson
Jul 08, 2025
∙ Paid
26

Share this post

The Land Desk
The Land Desk
As the Colorado River shrinks, desert towns grow
17
6
Share
🥵 Aridification Watch 🐫
A houseboat docks on the mudflats near Wahweap Marina during the summer of 2021, when reservoir levels dropped perilously low. Jonathan P. Thompson photo.

If Lake Powell is like a big thermometer gauging the hydrologic health of the Upper Colorado River Basin, then it’s running a high fever.

In one case, the fever analogy is a bi…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Land Desk to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Jonathan P. Thompson
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share