Denver never stops seeking more water, but Durango, a town of 19,000 people across the Rockies in southern Colorado, is taking a wait‑and‑see approach, writes Dave Marston.
There is a solution — hooking into a reservoir called Lake Nighthorse — but so far, the town hasn’t acted. The city continues to rely mainly on the Florida River, with backup from the Animas River.
When the two rivers flow normally, the taps run. If both rivers fail or get clogged with debris, the city could run out of water within weeks, Marston warns.